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by cjmuehlb
Summary: How does Carlisle control a coven full of strong willed males? This is a exploration into coven dynamics. Includes scenes of sexual dominance. A collection of ONE SHOTS in this genre. CARLISLE/EDWARD/JASPER/EMMETT SLASH & some Bella. All canon couples ;o
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_**DISCLAIMER: SM owns all Twilight characters and settings. No copyright infringement intended.**_

_**WARNING: Contains graphic sexual violence that some might find disturbing. Carlisle/Edward slash **_

_**How does Carlisle control a coven full of strong willed male vampires. Here is an exploration into coven dynamics that involve dominance/submissive behaviors. Originally meant to be a one shot, it's since turned into a series of one shots involving all the male members with spill over to include Bella and Edward's relationship. All couples are canon and this behind the scenes look is meant to be in canon. I know, I'm delusional. **_

* * *

My father's cross lay in two pieces on my study floor and my anger was placated only by my feelings of dread. I could feel Esme behind me, she was hesitant to approach me and this softened my anger only slightly.

"I don't know what's gotten into him, Carlisle." She said, resting her hand on my shoulder. "Should I go find him, talk to him? Bella is so upset."

Reaffirming Esme's comment, Bella's sobs resonated through the house as Alice tried to comfort her.

"No. I don't want him in this house until he's had a chance to calm down. He needs to think about what he's done. He'll come back when he's ready." I bent down and picked up the smaller piece of the broken cross, a chunk of wood the size of Emmett's thigh. I touched the wood tenderly, it brought back one of the few good memories I had of my father. We'd worked this wood together, silently, side by side, crafting it with ancient tools, turning it into not only a religious symbol of his life's work, but a part of my history, the only piece of him I had.

Esme's fingers stroked my hair. I sighed. No amount of her gentle tending would change what faced me now. I needed to address Edward's latest outburst. The evidence was all around me. Refuting it would not make the problem go away.

"Perhaps we should talk to Bella. She may have some insight. They seem so content when they are together." Esme's speculative thoughts escaped her lips in a soft whisper. "Do you think this has anything to do with Bella's change? He's fought it from the beginning and Bella is getting impatient."

Did Esme truly not understand what was happening? She had been through it twice before. I couldn't believe that she would not recognize Edward's volatile behavior for what it was.

"This has nothing to do with Bella. This has nothing to do with her change."

"How do you know that, Carlisle? Have you talked with him about it? What do you know that you aren't telling me?" The distress in Esme's voice was discernible. I never kept things from her.

"Edward and Bella just returned from their honeymoon," I paused, turning to face her. "They consummated their relationship."

"But Carlisle, we know that it was successful. Bella told Alice it was wonderful. Edward was able to control himself. The very presence of Bella shows that it went well. And she has been so happy."

"Esme," I said gently, touching her face. "Are you forgetting about Emmett and Jasper? Do you truly not know what I'm referring too?"

In that moment, her eyes widened, her mouth formed a little "O" and she gasped.

"Yes sweetheart, the time has finally come for Edward. I've tried to push the thought away myself, but denial will not solve the problem. He's getting worse, more aggressive and more unpredictable. I cannot ignore what is happening any longer. The safety of this entire family is in jeopardy."

My wife's lips quivered. If she could produce them, there would be salty tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm not sure why, but I thought it would never come to this with Edward. He's been with us so long, I cannot believe he would confront you, challenge your authority."

"Esme, we've been through this before. This is entirely instinctual. It's like hunting. We are completely guided by our instincts. It's natural for Edward to test me. He can't help himself. It's who we are, the nature of our species. We have not had to address it with Edward in the past because he has not been sexually active. " I ran my hands through my hair. "To be perfectly honest, I didn't think I would have to deal with this in the foreseeable future. I suspect his sudden change of character has to do with the length of his celibacy. His denial of his basic sexual instincts, both human and vampire, are obviously effecting his emotions. He has been a volcano ready to erupt for decades and it has finally happened."

"Are you going to talk to him first, explain things to him, make him understand what you are doing? I can't bear the thought of either one of you being hurt." Esme's shoulders were shaking.

"Esme, it doesn't work that way. You know that." I wrapped my arms around her, noticing Bella and Alice in the doorway of my study.

"When?" Esme said against my shoulder. She knew we were no longer alone.

"The sooner the better, tonight if he'll go with me."

"Hours later, I caught Edward's scent, heard him come through the front door, and bound up the stairs. He lingered outside my study for a moment, I assume he wanted to apologize, but my thoughts discouraged him. _Not now Edward, we'll hunt tonight. Bella needs you._

I did not want to speak to my son; I was still too incensed over the damage done to my father's cross. I knew it wasn't his fault, he couldn't help what he was, but that didn't dispel the lingering resentment I felt over my loss. I knew my reaction and my inability to control it, was my slide into the more animalistic nature of my being. This was to be expected; the event that loomed before me required that I pull from my more feral self, something that I had beat back, held at bay for centuries. Other than when I hunted, I seldom let those instincts rule me. I'd already asked Esme to leave me be. Her soft generous nature would distract me; pull me back to my humanity where reason ruled. This would weaken me against Edward. Now was not the time to rely on my more civilized human instincts.

* * *

**EPOV**

I paused outside my bedroom door, reluctant to face Bella. If I could not explain my behavior to myself, how could I expect Bella to understand? One moment, Carlisle was discussing our move and Bella's change and the next thing I knew, I was throwing his leather chair across the room. It was not the first time I had lost control and tossed a piece of furniture at him, but to respond so violently to an innocent comment by Carlisle, a suggestion that we change her as soon as possible, had been a complete overreaction, even for me. And the worst part, my indiscriminate tossing of the chair had damaged Carlisle's cross.

I knew how much it meant to him, and when I saw it fall into pieces, I'd wanted to run away in shame. I didn't need Jasper's gift to gauge the emotions in the room. Carlisle, shocked and angry, Esme horrified and disappointed and worst of all, Bella afraid, afraid of me. My shame was replaced with rage, and I screamed at Carlisle, blaming him for my unrestrained outburst. My emotions were so out of control that fears for Bella's safety became my family's primary concern. Alice and Jasper were immediately between Bella and I and Emmett was backing me out of the room. It was strongly suggested that I go for the run and return only when I could behave in a civilized manner again.

Even now, I felt a wave of resentment over Carlisle's opinion that Bella needed me. How dare he tell me what Bella needed. I knew what Bella needed, and I didn't need him to dictate his will where she was concerned.

I pushed the door of my room open and saw Bella curled up on our bed, a laptop open in front of her. She glanced at me, her face guarded but otherwise emotionless. I felt annoyed by her reaction. I needed her understanding and love, not her apathy.

"I'm sorry Bella, sorry about my behavior, sorry I scared you. I don't know what is wrong with me." I crossed the room and sat on the bed facing her, my fingers running through my hair. "Please forgive me."

"It's not me you need to apologize too." Her voice was flat. She did not look at me; her eyes didn't leave the laptop screen.

"I know. We are going hunting later, I'll tell him then." I tried to sound contrite, but I must have failed, as Bella looked up at me sharply.

"It's not my fault," I blurted out. Stupid…..stupid, she was glaring at me now.

"And tell me Edward, whose fault is it? Whose fault is it that you threw a hissy fit because Carlisle made a suggestion? Whose fault is it? Is it Carlisle's for trying to do what is right by us? Or maybe it's mine? This is about my change, so does that make it my fault, or perhaps it's Esme's, she was in the room, so by association it could have been her fault."

"No, I don't mean it like that." I'd never seen Bella so angry, angry at me. "I can't control it, I don't know what is wrong with me, I just have all of this resentment, this rage and I can't control it, not as far as Carlisle is concerned. It's like everything he does, is wrong by me, sets me off; I don't know how to explain it."

Bella was still staring at me, her expression had not changed and my arguments were having no impact. I felt a twitch in my cheek.

"Please Bella, please I'm sorry. I'll try harder, I've been so happy. It's just since we've gotten back, I've had a hard time, I don't know why. Maybe it's because this is so new for me, having you with me all the time, I don't know how we fit in here. I want it to be just us, I feel like I have to share you with my family now and I don't want too." I could not find the words to explain to Bella the anxiety and stress that had been growing in me since we returned from our honeymoon. This should have been the happiest time of my life and yet, I felt restless and displaced.

"How can you be jealous of your own family? We live here; do you want me to just stay in this room every day of my life for the rest of eternity?"

"Of course not," I stammered, but in truth the idea held a certain appeal.

"I've been so happy, I don't know why you want to ruin it, I won't let you ruin it." She snapped the laptop shut and climbed off the bed. "Now I'm going down to watch a movie with Alice and Jasper. I think you should stay here and figure out a way to get back into Carlisle's good graces. Maybe he'll forgive you for destroying the one thing that he still has of his father."

Bella left me alone, but I couldn't concentrate on the why anymore, all I could think about was Carlisle. Carlisle, Carlisle, Carlisle. Bella was only worried about Carlisle. My black mood returned. Hunting with Carlisle tonight, would not be pleasurable, for me or him.

* * *

**CPOV**

We ran further than usual for a normal evening hunt. Edward's mood was foul; his time with Bella had not improved it. She had not tried to appease him and this pleased me though it would make my task tonight that much more difficult. Strong minded females in the family were a valuable asset. I never doubted Bella's resilience, bravery or unselfish nature, evidence of her outstanding character had been proven time and again. She would only strengthen us as a family unit. But I had always questioned her ability to control Edward, to stand up to him, to show him that he couldn't take her for granted. Recent events suggested her strength carried over to him as well. As a human, she was more than his equal, as a vampire, she would dominate him.

I stayed behind, but close enough to push him. His competitive nature would drive him on; he would not slow down as long as he felt I was challenging him. This suited me. I was not interested in hunting tonight. I had other business to attend. I could not think about specifics, analyze what I was doing, how I was going to achieve my ultimate objective or how I could maximize my chance of success and minimize my chance of failure. None of these thoughts could even touch on my consciousness, or Edward would hear them, and in his state, it was difficult to know how he would react.

I could not attack Edward directly, could engage him in a face to face battle. I would not be fighting for the kill, only on the defensive and this would be to his advantage. He, on the other hand, after the initial shock, would rise up to the threat, every feral instinct, culminating in that moment, his ultimate goal, to take me down in any way he could. He would finally grasp the nature of his displaced anger and aggression towards me and I would only be viewed as a lethal threat to him and his mate. On the other hand, his speed was a problem. I could not catch him, could not come close to him; I could not attack from the rear. All of this had been analyzed prior to our hunt, now I just reacted, giving no thought to my next action.

I veered to the right abruptly and shot through the woods, propelling myself through the trees in a tremendous burst of speed. Every thought going forward was premeditated. Using my thoughts against Edward was my one significant advantage.

_Mountain Lion._

I heard Edward change direction behind me. It was his favorite kill. He would want to take it from me. It wouldn't matter that he couldn't smell it, that it didn't exist, he was only reacting to my thoughts and that was enough.

_I must get there before him._

Edward was coming up on me fast. I would not be able to pick my point of attack. Only one opportunity would avail itself to me and I needed to be ready. I could feel the venom pooling in my mouth. Because he couldn't smell his prey, he was relying on me to guide him to it. His competiveness along with his current cantankerous temperament would be his undoing.

He was at my shoulder, running stride for stride with me, his confusion becoming evident. He could not take the lead, if he didn't know the direction of the prey. It had to be now. I slowed just a step, and fell in behind him. Then bursting forward, I leapt. Knowing exactly what I was going to do before I did it, not having to think about it, process it, analyze it, gave me all the advantage I needed. Despite our recent confrontations, Edward was not prepared for an assault from me. He would not have been cognizant that I was even capable of such a thing. It was the ultimate surprise attack.

I took him down in one motion. My arms slid under his and my fingers locked behind his neck. We tumbled onto the ground, toppling end over end eventually grinding to a halt. Unfortunately, I was under him, he was above me, back to me, struggling wildly against my iron grip.

"Carlisle! Have you gone insane? What are you doing? Let me up!" He screamed, bucking wildly against me.

His feet were braced against the ground and he was trying to leverage himself, so he could pull himself to a standing position. I used this to my advantage and thrust myself forward following his motion but not stopping when he was on his feet, driving him face first into the ground.

_You will submit. _

He was growling, his instincts taking over, verbal communication would not be part of this encounter. We were animals in the truest sense. I concentrated on holding him, refusing to give him the slightest chance to break loose. My growls matched his, my lips vibrating against his ear, he was in an extremely vulnerable position and his attempts to free himself increased exponentially as he realized it.

_You will submit._

He roared, the ferociousness of his rage echoing through the forest, his frantic efforts to escape my clutches were bearing results. By lifting his arms over his head, he was able to wiggle down giving himself more latitude to move. I planted my knee between his legs, effectively stopping that progress, but securing him in a vulnerable position was only the first step in this dance.

_Submit_

"Never," he screamed, wildly flailing against me.

He had no idea what I was actually suggesting and for this I was grateful. His ignorance was my second advantage.

For two hours, I held him firmly, unrelenting in the strength of my grip, as he thrashed and screamed beneath me. I emitted one word in my thoughts, over and over again, _submit, submit, submit_, but his body never faltered, he never stopped struggling, his teeth constantly mashing together as he tried to get a piece of me. Our bodies were not stationary. We moved across the dense vegetation, uprooting small trees, scattering the wildlife, creating a crater in the soft soil with our frenzied battle.

Eventually I realized we were at a deadlock. I could not release him, knowing he would attack at his first opportunity, yet I could not proceed with what needed to be done, if I could not secure him. I should not have expected anything less of Edward, he was not going to acquiesce without cause, he never had.

Grappling with his arms, I pulled myself firmly against his back, and clamped my teeth on the flesh between his neck and shoulder. He screamed but fought viciously to free himself, not caring that his flesh was tearing under the force of my teeth, the damage from my bite significantly more than I wanted to inflict. Roaring in frustration, I released his shoulder and I went for the kill bite, the one place that a single bite would disable a vampire.

I buried my teeth just under the base of his skull in his neck, clamping down hard enough to secure a hold, but not so hard as to inflict the debilitating injury. And in that moment, all struggles ceased. Instincts drove both of us, and Edward, even if he wasn't consciously thinking about it, understood the significance of that bite. He was the animal held by the neck that played dead in a futile effort to save its life. Growls continued to emanate from him, but they were low, rumbling up from his chest, less an expression of aggression, then a warning. But I was in control now. I no longer needed Edward's cooperation. Venom was dripping from my mouth burning his flesh and for the first time, I felt my arousal. The air was filled with the scent of my lust, and I snarled in anticipation.

_Don't move._

Still holding him firmly by the neck, I unlocked my fingers and slid one hand down between us. I could feel him tense as my fingers gripped the waistband of his jeans. With one yank, I ripped the fabric away, exposing him. His growls increased, but I ignored them, my fingers taking more care with the buttons that held my swollen member confined. Slowly I sank back on my heels, pulling him with me, my bite never loosening, it gave me all the control I needed. I no longer gripped his arms, at all, and he used them to push himself up, following me back, being careful to not create any resistance. But the moment he felt my rock hard swollen flesh slide between his legs, he jerked forward, crying out as my teeth dug into his neck, holding him, keeping him from escaping.

_Submit._

He obeyed as much as he understood and allowed me to manipulate him in a way that suited me. I immediately slid my hand between us, grabbing my rigid organ in my fist. Venom was flowing from the tip of it, lubricating it and him as I slide between his buttocks, searching for his opening, groaning in anticipation. He surprised me then, jerking forward, the seemingly lifeless animal making one last ditch effort to free itself from the beast, but my teeth were unrelenting, my grip secure, and I easily moved forward pushing him onto the ground, his knees collapsing under my weight, his position ideal for penetration.

I moaned, feeling the heat of his flesh surround me as I slowly eased into him. This act, though sexual in nature was initiated out of the need to dominate. It was the conclusion of a confrontation between coven leader and a challenge to that leadership by a sexually active male. However I couldn't deny the lust I felt when taking another male of my species. This primal reaction was not entirely vampire in nature but the challenge itself was.

My hips pumped rhythmically against him, searching for my release. Though I could not deny the physical pleasure during the act, I wanted it over quickly. I did not relish the idea of hurting anyone I loved, unduly. The act of my penetration was not painful, only dismemberment, decapitation or a bite inflicted any real pain on us, so as my thrusts quickened, seeking my release, I kept my mouth steady, not pulling on the flesh between my teeth. My release was imminent, I could feel it building, Edward must have felt it too; he was rocking his hips back against me, hastening my orgasm. A few primitive grunts escaped my lips as I shot my venom into him.

Edward was still growling softly, though in no way would I read it as aggressive or even hostile, but his carriage was stiff and uncompromising. He certainly didn't display obvious signs of submission. Lingering doubts kept me from withdrawing from him, my male organ, still stiff, though less so, a reminder that he was under my control. I had to release the death hold I had on him to properly gauge his mood, so with some trepidation, I slowly unlocked my jaws. My lips lingered near the wound, first in anticipation that he would whirl and attack, then in a need to heal the injury I created.

Tentatively, my tongue flickered out and I licked at the ragged gash, feeling him shudder against me. I kept my mind devoid of any thoughts, not wanting to compromise my tenuous position as the dominate member of this coupling with second guesses or explanations.

My tender ministering, seemed to have an effect and I felt him relax against me, the rumbling from his chest ceased. Buoyed by his reaction, the flickering of my tongue became more purposeful, and I moved from the healing wound on his neck to the one on his shoulder. The speed of repair was always startling, no sooner did my venom touch his injured flesh, when it started to close up, sealing itself shut.

"Carlisle?" Edward said tentatively.

"Yes," I mumbled, my lips against his damaged shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He sounded ashamed and unsure.

"It's alright Edward, it's not your fault, it's who we are."

"You don't understand. I think…..I think…if I'd have gotten free, I think I could have killed you." He sounded horrified now.

Ahhh, Edward, the most intelligent of my children yet so scantily educated when it came to understanding the beast within us. I suspected that was my fault. Edward always displayed such self loathing for what he was; I spared the truth about the true nature of our kind whenever possible.

"I know, Edward. Why do you think I bit you?" My tongue continued its gentle healing ministering.

"You don't hate me?"

"Of course I don't hate you, I love you. I want you with me forever."

I felt a slight shift in Edward's posture against me. Felt him lean back into me, and the collection of venom in my mouth increased tenfold. Now I smelled his arousal. This wasn't completely unexpected. A willingness to submit to ones coven master often manifested itself into serving as a receptacle for that pleasure. I felt the slight twitch in my loins, felt the hardening of my organ within the walls of Edward's flesh, and fighting the urge to once again bite down, I hide my teeth, letting my tongue and lips caress the now healed injuries, I'd caused.

He sagged forward, burying his face in his arms, arching his back, pushing himself against me, his legs spread offering me full access, a gesture that confirmed he was offering me his complete submission. This time, I did not thrust wildly, wanting to end the act quickly, a means to an end. Instead I moved slowly varying my strokes, measuring Edward's response, wanting him to feel pleasure as I did. His muffled purrs, moans and cries reinforced my own gratification and I marveled at the difference between giving pleasure and simply taking it. I bent over his body, drawing my member almost completely out of him, before gradually descending back into him, my lips in his bronze hair as I whispered his name.

"Carlisle, please," He gasped after a particularly well placed thrust.

"Tell me Edward,"

"I need to…I need you to….." His fingers were tangled in his hair, tugging in rhythm to my thrusts and I knew he was begging for his release, even as he couldn't bring himself to say so.

My hand slid around his waist and found his member, rigidly hard against my palm. I slide my fingers over its head, coating them with his pre-cum, before trailing down the shaft, pumping him in time to my own thrusts.

"Carlisle….. ohhh… Carlisle." He groaned into the ground, his body trembling against me, the venom shooting from his swollen manhood.

My own orgasm was only moments behind and with a few more deep thrusts; I collapsed against him filling him with my fluid for the second time. The tension and dread that had commenced this night, placated with this simple, very human sexual act.

* * *

**EPOV**

We walked for a time through the woods. My jeans, which had been torn off me during Carlisle's initial attack, were tied on me in a makeshift fashion. I felt detached from myself, as if I had left something of me back in the woods. What had just happened? The raging emotions that had been with me at the start of the day were replaced with a ambivalent melancholy. I no longer felt any of the displaced anger towards Carlisle that had dominated my thought's in the weeks since the return from my honeymoon. Gone was the need to argue with him about inconsequential things, challenge him on his opinions, or quarrel with him over simple day to day decisions. I felt somehow at peace, yet empty at the same time.

_Edward, are you alright?_

I nodded, unsure how I was feeling. "I'm just confused, I don't know what's wrong with me, why I behaved the way I did, and why all of that…..that anger is suddenly gone."

_You aren't unique, Edward. Both Jasper and Emmett went through the same thing. Don't you remember?_

I stopped walking and Carlisle stopped too. "No." I said confused. How was it possible that I couldn't remember?

"Forgive me. I think that is my fault. I've kept you too sheltered in the ways of our kind and only told you things you needed to know. Though I am surprised you didn't pick anything up from your brothers' thoughts." He started trotting. "Let's hunt, and I'll remember for you."

In Carlisle's mind, I saw Emmett. We were still in Appalachia, Carlisle's memories showed Emmett's unprovoked rage over some inauspicious comment from Carlisle about staying away from humans. That led to a confrontation in the woods which ended with a completely naked Emmett meekly submitting under Carlisle's thrusting body.

"Why was Emmett nude?" I found the memory unsettling, though there seemed to be little violence in Carlisle's actions.

"Did you not notice, I was nude too." Carlisle smiled. "I was worried about Emmett, he was so big and strong, he wasn't a newborn any more but he was still stronger than me. I suggested we go for a swim. I took him on the bank of the river."

"And…..and…..how was that? How did you manage to contain him?"

"It was surprisingly easy. Emmett never really meant to challenge me, he never wanted to lead a coven and he's naturally good natured, so his rages were never too violent. It was only his instincts that drove him and once he saw that I wouldn't relinquish anything to him, he submitted immediately."

"Unlike me," I said miserably, surprised when I heard Carlisle chuckle.

"Edward, I never expected you to be easy. There is nothing in your history that suggested you would be. You, unlike Emmett, do have leadership qualities. You could have your own coven or lead this coven if something happened to me."

"I would never want that." I said furiously, like a petulant child.

"A few hours ago, I'm sure your response would have been much different, but don't worry yourself son. I don't plan on going anywhere, and unlike the Volturi, I won't let my family leave me. " He chuckled again.

"What about Jasper?"

"Well, Jasper was different then Emmett. Jasper came in knowing exactly how hierarchies within covens worked. He was surprised to see Emmett and you coexisting with each other and me. The size of our coven was an anomaly in itself. Jasper's challenge was less a possibility of becoming master, and more a test of my strength. His biggest concern was Alice and keeping her safe. A weak leader would put his mate in peril, especially with so many other males around. Once he was satisfied that I was worthy of his respect, he had no trouble, submitting to me."

"So you just had to talk with him, make him see that you had control."

"No, Edward, it doesn't work that way." A perceptible shift in Carlisle's movements suggested he'd picked up the scent of something. "Ultimately, I had to take control of Jasper, dominate him in the physical sense; it's our way. Why do you think I didn't explain all of this too you before we hunted tonight? Animals don't explain their actions before they do something, and first and foremost we are animals. We are ruled by our instincts. Setting up large covens, living in houses, interacting with each other as a family, all of this is a contrived effort to hold onto our humanity, but we will always be ruled by our instincts. "

"So I've been right all along." I stopped running and Carlisle was immediately at my side.

"No son, you think of us as monsters, we are not monsters. We may be more connected than humans to our instinctual nature, but that does not make us monsters."

I was not convinced, but it was an old discussion, and I was more interested in hearing more about Jasper. "So what of Jasper, did you fight him?"

"Yes. I felt his weakness was his hesitance. He had been with us less than a year and he didn't want to displace Alice. Remember, Alice had actively sought us out; she wanted to be part of this family. But Jasper's instincts were finely honed. They'd served him well, kept him alive, and they were driving him to challenge me. If he could take me then he was in a better position to protect the coven, and ultimately his mate."

I saw Carlisle's memories of him and Jasper circling each other. Saw Carlisle grab his neck, take him down, cringed as he flipped Jasper on his stomach and deftly removed his trousers, taking him in a similar but less violent prelude to my own experience.

"He didn't fight you." A statement rather than a question. The proof was in the memories.

"No, not really, not like you. Of course the battle went on much longer than what I showed you, but once I had him down, he was ready. He didn't want to beat me, didn't want to disturb the family. He knew it would upset Alice, and his mate came first.

"So it was only I that wanted to destroy you, ruin our family and everything you've built. I didn't care enough about anyone including my mate, to stop myself." My voice broke. I was evil.

"Edward, what propelled you to challenge me is proof enough that you do care. Do not criticize yourself for your vampire instincts. You are responding exactly as I would expect you too given your intelligence, your strength, your love for your mate, and your concern for your family. You cannot compare Jasper's intentions with yours. And always remember that both Emmett and Jasper could have injured or killed me if I had not brought with me my centuries of experience. The entire point of their challenge was to test for my weaknesses. I had to prove myself worthy of their loyalty. My memories might not convey the violence that made up those encounters, but never doubt it was brutal. Yes you were my most formable opponent, but that was to be expected as you are my most worthy adversary. You, much more so than the others, are my progeny, my heir.

Before I could protest, Carlisle held up his hand. "Enough Edward. We have plenty of time to debate this and for a change it may not have anything to do with whether or not you have a soul." He smiled.

_Now let's hunt._

I welcomed the opportunity to obey him.

Carlisle had picked up the scent of a large group of deer and we were upon them in minutes Over the years, my family was resigned to letting me lead, I was the fastest which also meant I would reach our prey first and take the choicest kill. But I felt out of sorts, unable to focus on the hunt and I did not take my usual spot out front.

The herd of deer did not break until we were almost upon them. Carlisle, who never glorified his kills, took down the closest animal too him without sizing up the herd. I, on the other hand, ran on, scattering them, searching for the biggest, the strongest, the one with the most fight, and immediately found him. Once he was in my sights, there was no chance of escape; the buck was doomed before I touched him.

As I held the struggling animal, preparing to bite, I heard Carlisle stealthily approach through the trees, he had fed quickly and was closing in fast. I usually didn't feel the need to defend my kill, around Carlisle as I might with my brothers. But this night, with my memories so fresh, I suddenly felt defensive and protective, and I dragged the two hundred pound animal towards the trees. I heard Carlisle's low growl before I saw him, and I froze, he was just yards from me, crouched and ready to spring.

A hiss escaped my lips, as I hovered protectively over the struggling deer, my hand locked around its throat, a knee against its ribcage keeping it from fleeing.

"Mine." The predator in front of me snarled_, _his posture shifting, advancing.

"I could smell him then, the musty odor of his lust. It had shocked me earlier in the evening, confused me, I'd only associated that smell on him in the past with Esme, hadn't realized it conveyed more than just sexual desire. Now I knew it for what it was; if power and control had an odor, this was it. I felt myself responding to it, my resolve weakening; my instinctual need to protect my kill evaporating. I had no will to resist him, could not fight him, and had no desire to. My combative emotions were replaced with a desire to please, a need for approval, an over powering urge to _submit._

_Mine. _

The beast in front of me had risen from his crouch and was standing over me his growls radiating off of him. My head drooped; I withered under his powerful gaze, a whine escaping my lips. The power of these new emotions left me weak-kneed. Everything that I perceived to be strong about myself, was buried under a rush of new, unfamiliar emotions, that contradicted everything I'd felt in the past. I felt no desire to fight, to protect what was mine, to hide my weaknesses against a more formable opponent. Quite the opposite, I felt a burning need to yield under his gaze, surrender to his desires, bend to his will and show that I could capitulate to his whims.

Abruptly I was lifted up and thrown aside. The frantic deer had no chance to bolt; Carlisle had him down an instant later, his mouth fixed over the artery in its neck, sucking the fresh flow of blood. He'd dropped to his knees to feed, but his eyes never left me as I lay where he tossed me some twenty feet away. His arousal was still quite evident, and I had all I could do to break away from his overpowering scent, and run after the herd that had scattered in all directions. I found another deer quickly enough, this one, a yearling buck, scarcely half the size of the other, but venom was pooling in my mouth, I needed to feed.

_Mine._

This time I didn't need to evaluate the source of the growl or contemplate the musty odor that accompanied the soft predatory footsteps, as they moved towards me. A soft growl rumbled from my chest, a growl of submission and I surrendered my position over the animal at my feet, backing off quickly watching my master feed.

As before, his eyes bore into mine as he drained the young buck. Despite feeding multiple times, they were still black as coal, no hint of ochre touching the irises. I found I could not hold his gaze, my eyes darting away, smelling the air, trying to disregard his powerful scent, trying to concentrate on finding something to feed on. I ran again, the burn in my throat, unusually strong. I had not started this night unduly hungry but now my thirst was all I could think about. Another deer, maybe two were in front of me, and as Carlisle always did, I took down the closest one, not concerning myself with its size or strength and as with the others, just as I pulled the animal to me, he was there.

"_Mine." _

Oddly, despite the uncontrollable desire to feed, I felt no discontent, no resentment, and above all else, no anger at his presence. Instead, I grappled with the deer, lifting it in my arms, its struggling warm body, arousing my thirst even more; and carried it to where I knew he was waiting; it seemed for me to do this very thing. As I held the animal to him, my eyes looking everywhere but into his, I sensed a change in the highly charged atmosphere, a dispersing of the musky odor, an easing of my frazzled emotions.

"Yours." He whispered, showing no sign of the growling beast he was just seconds before.

It was all I needed. I fell to my knees in front of him, the small doe under me, my lips seeking out the hot spot on its neck, feeling the flow of the sweet blood rolling across my tongue, a weak sigh of relief escaping my bloodied lips. As I drained the animal, pulling at its neck, forcing every last drop from its twitching body, it occurred to me that I had not backed away from Carlisle, in an attempted to protect my kill as I fed. In fact, I was at his feet, completely exposed and I realized that it didn't matter. Carlisle could take whatever he wanted from me, when he wanted it. I would never have to defend my position with him again.

* * *

**CPOV**

We walked home slowly, for us. I sensed Edward had questions, many questions and I wanted to give him time to compose himself and find the words to ask them. It had been a spontaneous decision to test Edward with the deer. I had not been entirely confident that he understood his new role in our family or that he would back down if I demanded it. Besides mating, there was nothing more instinctual than hunting so testing his level of submissiveness when his instincts to protect would be at their most dominate, gave me the opportunity to view his level of passivity at our most feral moment. I found his behavior reasonable in face of the bewildering feelings he had to be dealing with. The final potential obstacle was before us. Would the males in the house accept his conformity within our pack?

"Carlisle, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, Edward."

"How do other covens work? Is it the same everywhere? Does everyone follow the same rules?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean. There are no written rules, only instincts that dictate our behavior."

"Well, for example, Denali, how does it work for them?"

"Ahhhh, yes it would be easier to discuss specifics." I smiled as I thought of Eleazar's envious position within a coven of women. "They are different because they are led by females and Eleazar is the only male. Tanya, Kate and Irina share coven leadership. Because they are female this is possible. Females are not nearly as territorial as males, and are less driven by their instincts, more able to make decisions based on what is best for the coven as a whole. Females well formidable in battle, do not rule by domination. Eleazar and Carmen came later. As the only male, he is not challenged for position within the family. Their living arrangement is much less explosive than ours."

"What if Eleazar wanted to take over the coven?" Edward asked enthralled. This new information about vampirism after decades of thinking he understood everything was reviving his spirits.

"Seldom does a male challenge a female for leadership of a coven. The reason most covens are formed is to accommodate the needs of females. If a male takes over a coven, the females will just leave and form another, which defeats the whole purpose. Only if a male takes the leader as a mate, would he naturally proceed to coven leader, and even then, it may not happen. In Eleazar's case, he would have to defeat all three sisters in order to become coven leader. Impossible."

"What about the Volturi?"

"Another unique situation," I said smiling. The house was within view and I started to jog anxious to get home to Esme, I knew she would be in a panic; dawn was approaching, the sky was just starting to turn pink.

"To have males share leadership responsibilities within a coven is highly unusual. It goes against our nature. I've never seen two much less three males share leadership responsibilities. Their bond was established long before I was acquainted with them, several centuries before, so I'm not sure how it came into fruition. I suspect it helped that they were all mated at the time. Once Marcus lost his mate his responsibilities diminished. He does not hold the power of his brothers but because their unique bond works, they wouldn't think to push him out." I paused glancing at Edward. I could see he was bursting with questions.

"But what of the Guard? How do they control them? Keep them from fighting amongst themselves?"

"Various methods. Seldom do the brothers engage directly with the guard as I did with you. It's too dangerous. "I saw Edward cringe, apparently remembering his own violent feelings towards me. "The biggest form of control is quite simply death. Because of the size of the coven they will not tolerate, unruly disobedient, defiant behavior and will quickly dispose of any troublemakers."

"But Carlisle, I thought you said it was instinctual. If they can't help themselves….."

"I'm afraid that the Vulturi brothers are not very understanding. Unless one is extremely gifted, they don't waste their time with insubordinate vampires. They expect obedience above all else. Death might not be the only method they use to ensure it, but it's the most effective."

"What other methods do they use?"

I sighed. Edward would want to know every detail and once he had secured all the information he could from me, he would use it to berate himself for his own shortcomings. And before this night was out, he would quite possibly come to the conclusion that he was responsible for some vampire's death in Volturi during his brief visit there.

"No more tonight, Edward. We need to get back. Esme must be frantic with worry."

"Worried about you." The shame in his voice was perceptible.

"Worried about both of us." We reached the river and I prepared to jump.

"I'm going to swim across."

_No Edward. _

He looked at me sharply. I knew he wanted to wash away the odors that lingered on him, but that would not do, his brothers needed proof of my authority over him, and confidence that I could make him submit to my will.

I could see the confusion on his face, but whatever awaited him at the house, he would obey without question. We easily scaled the river and approached the house just as the sun was peeking through the trees. I could hear the rhythmic beating of Bella's heart, slow and steady. She was asleep. This was one issue I would not need to worry about. Bella's humanity would not allow her to understand what would transpire next.

"Edward, your brothers are going to approach you as a threat. I need you to stand your ground, but you must not react, do you understand. You must not act aggressively no matter what happens." My voice was low, for Edward's ears only.

The tension in Edward's body was obvious. "What will happen?"

"Nothing, if you do I as I say." My face was grim; this night could still turn into a disaster. "I expect you to do as I say."

He nodded, head bowed, ready to accept whatever punishment he perceived his brothers were about to dispense. "I'm afraid."

_Edward, don't be afraid, no one is going to hurt you. _It tore at my dead heart to smell his fear. He was still after all, a seventeen year old boy.

"_You don't know that."_

_Oh but I do, being the leader of this coven has its advantages._ I grinned, winked, and led the way into the house. I didn't remind him that he had participated in this same formal reintroduction to the family with both Emmett and Jasper, but being a non sexual being at the time, he had not recognized anything significant about it.

They were waiting, my family, not in a procession at the front door, but scattered around the lower level of the house. There would be no happy greetings, no emotional expressions of relief or concern, nothing that resembled the usual giddy household commotion when seven strong willed adults congregated together. The house was silent, the vampires as still as sculptures, they might as well have been part of the works of art that Esme collected, for all their animation.

Edward came in behind me, his bewilderment clear on his face. I motioned for him to stand where he was. Unless something happened and an escalation of tensions occurred, my duty to my family was over. I walked past my mate without looking at her and waited near the foot of the stairs. Esme's face was expressionless as she moved to follow. She hesitated near Edward, he tensed visibly as she lingered, I could hear the low warning growl of Jasper who moved forward. Edward froze, and did not react again to Esme's hovering. She sniffed the air, then moved past him and joined me at my side.

In a choreographed approach, Alice and Rosalie repeated Esme's inspection, smelling the scents wafting off Edward. He remained frozen; his compliance was the only thing that kept Jasper and Emmett from moving in to protect their mates from an impending attack. Had Bella been changed, she too would have mimicked the actions of her sisters. As a human, her sense of smell would have revealed nothing and the primitive nature of this ritual would have only confused and frightened her.

Satisfied that Edward no longer posed a threat to them, the females wandered back to the sides of their mates, there was no tension in their movements, and though I frowned visibly at her, Alice's lips were parted in a smile.

Emmett, never one for formalities, managed to maintain at least a semblance of protocol as he moved towards Edward. He stopped short next to Edward's shoulder, towering over him, daring him to move, challenging him, domination clear in the very outline of his posture.

_Don't move son, don't move. _I held my breath waiting. I hadn't intended on communicating my thoughts to Edward, but I knew he heard me, as his eyes flickered at me pleading with me to call off his brother, something I could not do.

Emmett sucked in a few deep breaths, waited for any reaction from Edward that might suggest aggression, finding none, he casually moved to Rosalie's side, nudging his face in her neck, filling his nostrils with his mate's scent, wanting to purge Edward's odor from his memories, I suspect because they reminded him of my domination over him.

Only Jasper remained. I held my breath watching him move across the room towards Edward. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Jasper as a predator, as a warrior, as a killer was without equal. His experience as a fighter and his abilities to control the emotions of those around him made him an invaluable member of this family. Edward, on the other hand, with his powerful mind reading abilities, his immaculate control of his bloodlust, his intelligence, brought his own set of strengths. They were equals in so many ways which ultimately created conflict. Now that Edward had a mate and was sexually active, it would be unlikely that they could co-exist as equals any more. A reckoning was coming, a hierarchy within the coven would need to be established and it would not be something I could dictate based on my own personal preferences.

As with Emmett, Jasper assumed a dominating posture. He moved uncomfortably close to Edward, waiting for that flinch, that growl anything that might indicate a challenge or in the unlikely case, submission, from Edward.

_You must not react, Edward, no matter what he does, no matter what is in his thoughts. _

Again, I interfered with this process, using my own thoughts, as I had no wish to see this situation escalate. Edward's eyes were on me, trying to focus only on me. A confrontation between the two was inevitable. It was reasonable for Jasper to assert his dominance when Edward was in a susceptible frame of mind, still reeling from my assault on him. I felt the need to protect him as much as I could. But I could not protect him if he rose to Jasper's challenge, at least not without losing credibility amongst my family.

Jasper's nostrils flared as he sniffed the air. My scent was embedded in Edward's flesh and as with Emmett, this would ease Jasper's protective anxieties over the safety of his mate. It should have stopped there. Edward had not moved, made no sound; he was standing for inspection as he had with all the others. But then, as I feared, Jasper's grasp of the weakness of his rival became apparent.

He threw back his head opened his mouth, his tongue flickering out, his lips quivered, his jaw moved, he was tasting the air using my musky scent to fuel his own need. I could smell the lust radiate off of him, saw the startled reaction of the rest of the family as they caught the odor too, and then to my horror, realized that his gift was generating the same reaction in the rest of the family. My eyes locked on Emmett, he was turning from his mate, his eyes narrowing, turning predatory, his tongue, flickering out of his mouth as he too sought to taste the tantalizing scent that permeated the room.

Edward remained frozen, but I could see the slight shift in his stance. He was ready to go into a defensive mode. He would see the thoughts of his brothers, would recognize the danger. If he ran, their prey drive would kick in and they would take him down and if he fought them, they could easily destroy him.

_Edward, you must not move. I will protect you._

I felt Esme's hand tighten around my forearm. She could not help me, Alice and Rosalie would not, their thoughts were on their mates, their own arousal not manifested in violence but rather a need to couple.

Jasper was as close to Edward as he could get without touching him. Edward stared straight ahead at the wall, as Jasper moved around him, behind him. I shifted my focus to concentrate only on Emmett who was inching forward out of Rosalie's grasp. Disengaging myself from Esme's frantic grip, I moved across the floor to my giant of a son, he was so fixated on Edward and Jasper, he did not notice me until a long protracted growl escaped my lips, then only a brief flicker of resignation touched his face and he stopped his forward progress.

My lips folded back from my teeth, as my growling intensified and my body tensed as I readied to spring. I had Emmett's full attention now, he hissed at me, crouching, but in a defensive manner, as I suspected, he would not challenge my authority.

"Leave!" The word escaped my lips as a snarl and I continued to advance on him.

I paid no attention to Rosalie's warning hiss as she moved forward to protect her mate. She would not attack me, her reaction was entirely instinctual. But her presence helped Emmett concede, and he immediately straightened up and backed away, not willing to turn his unprotected back on me as he exited the room with Rosalie's help.

Jasper had been paying no attention to me too caught up in his yearning to change the dynamics of his status within the family. The effect on Edward's psyche was taking its toll. His shoulders had lost their rigidity, he was starting to crumble. I could choose to let this confrontation carry on to its natural conclusion, but the outcome was obvious. Jasper would take Edward. I had no strong feelings against this; Jasper was more than a worthy Beta to my Alpha. But I had, perhaps in a moment of weakness, given my word to Edward that I would protect him. Besides, if, there was to be a battle for position within the coven I wanted it to be when Edward was at his strongest. I owed it to my family.

Controlling my own feelings of lust brought on my Jasper's overpowering need, I moved towards them, my growls, though less aggressive, still implying at the hostility that lurked beneath.

"Jasper, now is not the time for this." I whispered evenly.

"It's the perfect time," he replied, his voice breathless. And he was right, for him, it was the perfect time.

"No Jasper," I growled louder, baring my teeth. "He's mine. Mine! " Claiming Edward might be the only way to stop this.

"But, you've had him." Jasper sounded confused, he stepped back, only slightly, his eyes turning to meet mine.

"And I'll have him again," I knew Jasper could smell it on me, my craving, my need. He would not need further confirmation of my desire.

His eyes flickered, he could not hold my gaze, and he took another step back as I slowly eased between him and Edward. The venom was pooling in my mouth and I did not try and swallow it, rather letting it ooze from between my bared teeth. Edward was wavering behind me, ready to submit to me again, if I gave the signal.

"I misunderstood, I smell you on him. I thought it was over." Jasper's ramblings confirmed that I'd broken his fixation on Edward. His eyes no longer held the glazed look of a beast controlled by instinct, he'd come back to the man he was. Alice was behind him pulling him too her. She would take control of her mate now.

"Go Jasper, you can resume this at another time." My growls ended abruptly, I too was back to my more civilized self.

He nodded, sent Edward a conciliatory look and too his credit, turned his back on me, and walked with Alice out the door.

I sighed with relief, it was over. The strong scents in the room suddenly abated, the challenges of the night confronted or pushed aside, but in either case, they would not be resumed anytime soon.

_Are you all right, son_? I turned to face Edward, who had not moved. His back was too me, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

He nodded his head slightly. "Can I go to Bella now? I think she's waking up."

"Of course you can. We'll talk later." I placed a hand on his shoulder.

Esme was in front of him, touching his hair, leaning forward to kiss the top of his head. "It will be better now Edward, you'll see."

He nodded his head again, touching her face as he moved by her towards the stairs. He looked exhausted if that was possible.

_And Edward, make sure you take a shower before you come back down. _ The scent would continue to provoke Jasper and Emmett until he cleansed himself.

"I will."

I turned to my wife, kissing her full on the lips, feeling her relief as she melted into me.

"Carlisle?" I heard my son's voice call from the top of the stairs.

"Yes Edward."

"I think you were right, we should change Bella as soon as possible."

"Very good, son. Let me know when you decide."

"And Carlisle?"

"Yes, son."

"I'd like to help you try and fix the cross, if that would be okay."

"Of course Edward. I'd like that very much."

* * *

Later that day, as we laid next to each other on the bed, my lust thoroughly spent, I gripped my wife's hand in mine and rolled on my side so I could stare into her face.

"Esme?"

"What is it darling?" She said in a relaxed contented voice.

"Esme you must promise me something," Gripping her hand firmly, almost desperately, I leaned in closer to her.

"Anything Carlisle." Worry had crept into her voice.

"You must promise me that you will never again, let me bring another male into this house. Females, yes, I'll give you all the daughters you want, but no more sons, Esme, please promise me."

Her peels of laughter rung like bells in my ears, and she playfully thumped me on the top of my head before kissing me hungrily, showing her desire had not completely abated. And as I took my wife again, delighting in her cries of pleasure, I realized that she hadn't promised me anything. She'd distracted me instead. Esme always did love her boys.

* * *

**_Author Notes:_**

**_A Edward/Jasper appears to be the next logical one shot._**


	2. Becoming Beta

_**DISCLAIMER: SM owns all Twilight characters and settings. No copyright infringement intended.**_

_**WARNING: Contains graphic scenes of sexual violence and dominant/submissive behaviors. This chapter is more sexual than the previous. Consider yourself warned.**_

_**Edward/Jasper slash but don't forget, all canon couples. ;o)**_

* * *

_CPOV_

"See if you can catch me Edward." Bella's voice drifted up from the trees some distance away from the house. Her squeal and subsequent giggles confirmed that whatever game they were playing was brought to an abrupt end much to her delight.

"Next time I'll try giving you a mile head start." Edward responded, laughing at the idea that she could ever outrun him as a human.

Their good natured frolicking was music to my ears and I couldn't help but eavesdrop occasionally, enjoying my once disillusioned son's happiness and high spirits.

It had been two months since I'd confronted Edward about his aggressive behavior towards me and reaffirmed my dominance over him as coven leader as was my duty to the rest of my family. Edward did not dwell on the incident much to my surprise and embraced his new found role within the family with enthusiasm and acceptance.

When our move to Duluth was delayed by some problems with contractors consequently delaying Bella's change, he accepted the news without bemoaning over changing dates again to accommodate construction issues. Instead he solemnly explained the situation to Bella, who though eager to become one of us in every sense of the word, used the additional time to enjoy her human life and family even traveling to Florida without Edward one last time to visit her mother.

Now as our time in Forks gradually wound down, I could only look back on the last few years with a sense of relief that it was over. The endless drama, angst and emotional turmoil were days I did not remember fondly. I was eager for us to start over as a family and become acquainted with a son that I always knew was there, buried under the layers of self loathing and despondency he'd cloaked himself in for almost a century.

Yet despite all the evidence to the contrary, I still had a nagging feeling that our final days in Forks weren't going to be harmonious and without conflict and it had nothing to do with my loneliness over Esme's absence. She'd gone to Duluth to supervise the final renovations and as she mused, "take names and bash heads." Construction woes aside, I didn't need to be a mind reader to know she had some surprises in store for her family and my guess was that she wanted to be there to put the last minute touches on the home that we would hopefully live in for the next ten years. Bella's newborn status and her ability to control her thirst could force us to move before then, but Esme, always the optimist assumed between the seven of us, we keep her away from humans. Still I missed my mate, her presence alone could alleviate my fears no matter that they were completely valid.

There wasn't one instance that I could put my finger on that triggered my latest round of foreboding. It was rather a culmination of events that elicited my unease and made me more watchful whenever Edward and Jasper were in the same vicinity of each other. It was no secret that Jasper's behavior on the night I forced Edward to recognize his role in the family, had created a rift between them. It was neither of my sons' fault. Jasper was reacting to his instincts and was completely justifiable in attempting to establish his dominance over Edward when Edward was at his weakest. Days later after suffering under a shroud of remorse from Jasper, I'd had a long chat with him about why I'd intervened in something that was bound to happen eventually reemphasizing that it was not his fault, that he was being driven by an instinctual need and had every right to take Edward as I'd done.

With Edward, who had none of Jasper's experience in coven dynamics, I carefully explained Jasper's motivation. Covens led by males that contained other males were in an endless struggle to establish their rank. Ideally the coven was led by the strongest most resourceful male best equipped to lead. Any other males in the coven would establish their place through posturing, competition and outright battles resulting in sexual dominance of one over the other. This ensured that a coven always had heirs in waiting should the leader be destroyed or weakened in some way. I had to reassure him that Jasper's obvious attempts to establish his dominance when Edward was at his weakest was a natural response to the newly mated male.

Where Jasper had taken solace in my words, Edward, as usual, refused to be placated by them. He saw Jasper's posturing as a betrayal, refusing to believe that there had been anything natural or justifiable in Jasper's actions. His refusal to empathize with Jasper's situation had consequently put Jasper on the defensive and tensions between the two had escalated with each passing day.

Bella and Alice were caught in the middle. Bella had no idea why Edward suddenly felt such animosity for Jasper. Her human mindset wouldn't yet allow her to understand the dynamics within the coven and I'd advised Edward to keep information from her for the time being. Consequently, he could not rationalize his feelings about Jasper to her and their arguments about the situation did not fall on deaf ears. Alice on the other hand knew entirely too well what was coming and tried without success to defuse the situation with mockery and snide innuendos despite my counsel that she could do nothing to stop the inevitable. At minimum she kept them from hunting alone together and offered defensive tactics that included bringing Bella into their company when their posturing became too intense.

I cursed my stupidity every night as I left for the hospital, wondering what had possessed me to extend my employment past my original resignation date that had come and gone three weeks earlier. I felt my presence at home did more to defuse the situation than any of Alice's antics. My hours in the hospital passed exceedingly slow as I waited for that phone call from Alice that would bring with it news of injury or even death to one of my sons at the hands of the other. Of course, as Esme liked to point out, I took a rather pessimistic view on the situation. Males fought within covens all the time and death was not usually the result of such confrontations. Still, I knew how stubborn Edward could be and I'd seen firsthand Jasper's deadly skills as a fighter. I wasn't sure that Jasper had the control to contain himself if Edward should push him and I knew Edward's temper and lack of experience in submission tactics could conclude with a situation that would haunt him for all the rest of eternity. So to say the situation was ripe with tragedy was a bit of an understatement.

As dusk approached, I heard Edward's soft footsteps approach the house. He carried Bella in his arms as she chatted about the forthcoming overnight visit to her father's house one last time before we left Forks. I expelled the air I hadn't realized I'd been holding releasing the stress that had been building inside of me all day. Knowing Edward would be with Bella at Charlie's house tonight would make the hours spent at the hospital, bearable. Perhaps I would try talking with them both in the same room tomorrow. It did not occur to me that I was ignoring my own advice. I was trying to prevent the inevitable from happening just as Alice did.

* * *

EPOV

Bella had been out and out giddy all night in her father's company. Her mood had been so unusually perky that even he raised an eyebrow at her behavior. In his thoughts I could see he was suspicious of it and one look said more than any thoughts from him ever could. I better not even consider about having sex with _his_ daughter under _his _roof.

Now lying with her in her bed as we'd done so often in the past but this time as husband and wife, I stroked her head listening to her slow even breathing and wondered if she understood that this was perhaps the last time she would spend the night with her father.

Carlisle had decided it was better to wait until after we moved to change Bella so we wouldn't have to deal with trying to get a newborn across five states fighting her thirst for human blood the entire way. That suited me just fine and when our move was delayed consequently delaying her change, I didn't pursue it with Carlisle despite Bella's prodding. I knew Carlisle was making the right decision for all of us.

I was still getting accustomed to my new attitude that had blossomed after Carlisle had forced my submission to his will. Gone was the constant state of anxiety I felt over Bella's upcoming change. I was no longer responsible for the when's and how's and Bella respected Carlisle too much to question his decisions. The resentment I often felt when Carlisle made decisions regarding Bella and myself was gone as I now understand that those decisions were based on the well being of the entire family of which Bella and I were a part of.

Where before I looked at every situation on how it would affect me, I now understood that there were others to consider. I tried not to dwell too much on my irrational behavior over the last few years; the shame I felt after putting my family through hell was too fresh in my mind. Carlisle never chastised or embarrassed me by reminding me of my mistakes. Why had I fought him so much in the past? I could no longer fathom my bad behavior. It was alien to me.

Bella had noticed the change in me too, noticed it from the first day after Carlisle had forced me to submit to him. She said I looked different, peaceful and content as if the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders. I had not given her specifics. Carlisle did not think that she would understand as a human, felt it would scare her and make her distrustful of him. I wasn't so sure. Bella was very perceptive and as she herself often pointed out, she felt more vampire than human with each passing day. However, I didn't question Carlisle's advice for a change, and as it turned out, Bella soon forgot about my new more placatory personality accepting it in stride and reveling in our shared delight with our new life.

Initially bewildered by my passive disposition, I quickly learned to appreciate the uninhibited freedom it allowed me to just enjoy my time with Bella and not worry about what the future held for us. I no longer made any big decisions. Carlisle dictated what he thought should be done and I accepted it. Looking back over our decades together, was like looking back on new memories, like I was viewing things from a new perspective through someone else's eyes.

I could recall clearly now, how first Emmett than Jasper would concede to Carlisle's whims, while I argued vigorously in an opposing viewpoint, scoffing at the weak-minded attitude of my brothers. Carlisle had been astonished that I had no inkling what awaited me on the night he demanded my submission to him, assuming I'd picked up bits and pieces of my brothers' own experiences over the years. And now as I thought back, I could remember specific events that preceded my own fateful night with Carlisle, significant now, but overlooked by me at the time.

Emmett, the towering new brother that none of us could hope to over power, meekly cowering at Carlisle's feet shortly after he and Rosalie, for the umpteenth time had destroyed a piece of Esme's favorite furniture during a sexual frenzy. How a stern look from Carlisle could make him wilt in shame and beg for forgiveness as I stood by rolling my eyes at his emasculated behavior.

Or Jasper, who came into our family as a seasoned warrior, his scars affirming his violent past, his eyes holding decade's worth of the horrors he'd witnessed and participated in, his memories so terrifying that I had to finally beg him to stop thinking about it around me, would avert his eyes from the ever patient ever gentle Carlisle, during disagreements and would stammer out responses only after Carlisle pushed him for his opinions. At the time I thought what I perceived to be his cowardice in confronting Carlisle was a product of his past. But now I knew he'd accepted the unspoken rules of a coven saw Carlisle as the unconditional coven leader and had difficulty understanding that his opinion, thoughts or ideas mattered.

Over the years, I developed the attitude that my brothers were cowards in Carlisle's presence and I held a sense of superiority over them that created tensions in our own relationships. Towards me they were anything but docile and compliant. Both were formidable opponents and despite Esme's repeated attempts to thwart our roughhousing, our good natured brawls earned them my respect notwithstanding their kowtowing to Carlisle.

One thing that was always present during minor confrontations between Carlisle and my brothers which I'd never tied directly to their submissive behavior was the pungent odor of lust and arousal. It was a scent that I just assumed was the residue left over from Carlisle and Esme's matings which were frequent in those early days. It could bring Emmett to his knees at Carlisle's feet or make Jasper as soft as a kitten. It wasn't until I found myself abandoning my deer kills to Carlisle that I understood how he'd used it to control my brothers over the last several decades. The power of it was like nothing I'd ever experienced before and it had the same effect on all of us; but until two months ago, I was oblivious to it.

I was astounded at how quickly I'd changed. Now in Carlisle's presence, I felt the same unrelenting need to concede to his whim and accept his decisions. His approval had always been important to me, but now I courted it, my behavior modified, my opinions altered to align with his, so much so that he had to coerce the truth from me when he thought I was lying to appease him.

We still had our family meetings, Bella now had a place at our table and a vote too and it was during these meetings that I noticed how far removed I was from the Edward of the past. Looking back, it was always me that challenged Carlisle before something was brought to a vote. I'd never seen Jasper or Emmett out and out thwart his decisions or align themselves against him. We all had opinions and I'd assumed we all expressed them openly, but now I was beginning to understand how difficult it was for my brothers to speak their mind in front of Carlisle. I found myself simply unable to contradict him, the idea of it abhorrent to me. Carlisle insisted that it was only temporarily. Eventually I would get my confidence back and feel comfortable challenging him.

My hand slid through Bella's hair and she sighed contentedly shuddering a little at my cold touch. My thoughts were of Jasper, the only blotch on my newfound worry free life. Carlisle had explained it to me the day after Jasper's aggressive blustering in the aftermath of my submission to him. Male vampires in the same coven, even mated males could be extremely aggressive towards one another. Emmett and Jasper had resolved their issues years ago and because of his natural good natured attitude and his lack of motivation to lead, Emmett had quickly relented to Jasper without a coupling. Now I was a threat to Jasper, to his place within our family and more importantly I represented a weak link that threatened Alice.

That I didn't understand. I adored Alice and would give my life defending her. How could my existence suddenly be a threat to her safety? Carlisle explained it to me during one of our many conversations that followed my submission to him. If the newborn battle were to occur now after I'd been mated but before Jasper and I had established our ranking within the coven, we would not have been able to put our conflicts aside for the sake of the family. Standing shoulder to shoulder in an apparent show of solidarity, we could have just as easily turned on each other influenced by the sights and smells of the battle which might trigger our instinctual needs to seek domination over a cohabiting male. Unfathomable in my mind, but as Carlisle elucidated, until we established a pecking order we would not be a cohesive fighting unit. Any emotional, stressful or violent situation might elicit our own unresolved issues resulting in a violent confrontation, regardless of the dangers it might present to the rest of the family.

This terrified me. If Bella were anywhere near us when that happened she could be injured or worse. When I expressed my concerns to Carlisle he did not try to ease my fears reaffirming that I was not reverting back to the Edward of old; it was a legitimate concern.

Carlisle insisted a confrontation was coming, how violent it was would be was anyone's guess. Hoping to prevent an escalation to an all out battle with Jasper, I'd faltered, willing to do whatever Jasper needed me to do avoid it. But Carlisle just shook his head.

"_No Edward, you can't plan for this, you will react how you were meant to react. You can't hide what you are and you can't fight your instincts, not in this situation."_

Carlisle's words filled me with dread. I looked at Bella in my arms and remembered how I'd laid with her so many times like this only to slip out just before dawn. I didn't have to slip out now, but it suddenly occurred to me that now was the perfect opportunity to address my issues with Jasper while Bella was safely in her former bed. Carefully I slid my arm from under her shoulder. It wasn't too late, I would have plenty of time to deal with Jasper and make it back before she awoke. Of course there was always the possibility that she would awake and find me gone. I quickly wrote a note, explaining that I went hunting. Then like so many times in the past, I slipped out her window and silently made my way home. Jasper and I were going to end this one way or another, tonight.

* * *

JPOV

"Let's go hunting, Jasper." Alice's whispered voice created a tingling down my spine. My arm tightened around her shoulder. I could think of something I'd rather do than go hunting.

"We just hunted last night, baby."

I nuzzled my face into her neck, my lips nibbling on her flesh. When she did not respond in her usual coy Alice fashion, I lifted my head. The look on her face was pensive and drawn.

"What is it? What do you see?" Her visions dominated our life and I could always recognize when she was reacting to one.

"Let's go hunting….please." She was by the door waiting for me before I realized she was no longer in my arms. Her quickness never ceased to amaze me.

"Not until you tell me why." It wasn't hard to decipher that this need to hunt was in direct correlation with the vision she saw.

"First hunt, then I'll tell you." She wasn't being cooperative and she wasn't going to wait. I could barely make out her tiny steps as she ran down the stairs.

"Emmett….Rosalie, we're going hunting with you after all."

I groaned. I could hear the rumbling of the land rover in our lower garage. I did not want to hunt with Rosalie. She would be ready to leave for home before the hour was up. Rosalie wasn't one that found any thrill in hunting. It was too inhuman for her.

"Hurry up than." Emmett called out cheerfully. For Emmett, hunting was a social event, the more the merrier.

"Jasper." That little pipsqueak was already in the SUV.

I sighed. I'd been looking forward to spending a quiet night at home alone with Alice. It wasn't often that we had the entire house to ourselves. In fact, I couldn't remember the last time. Well I could, if you didn't count the times we went off by ourselves it was four hundred and two days ago to be exact.

With Carlisle at the hospital, Esme in Duluth, Emmett and Rosalie hunting and Edward at Bella's it had promised to be a very gratifying night. What had gotten into Alice? What had she seen?

The wind was particularly strong, blowing gusts right through our large bedroom window that opened like a door. I smelled his scent, faint but unmistakable. He was coming. Alice had seen it.

_Edward!_

Instantly, my muscles tightened, my body became very still and venom pooled in my mouth. I tested the air again. I couldn't tell if he was within range and could read my mind but I immediately shut down, reciting the text of the confederate constitution over and over again. He would know I was deliberately blocking him. He would know I was ready for him.

"Jasper." Alice sounded frantic. She must have caught Edward's scent too.

"You go Alice, I'm going to stay here."

I heard the car door slam and the sound of the SUV rumbling down the driveway. The relief I felt over having Alice out of the house with Edward fast approaching was short lived. A few seconds later she was back in our bedroom looking none too pleased.

"Alice, you need to leave." My voice was firm, low.

"I will not. I can't bear the thought of either of you getting hurt" She crossed her arms against her chest, her irritation plain on her face.

"Can you see what will happen?" I asked softly holding my arms out to her.

"No. Neither of you have made any decisions yet. I never see much anyway, it's too instinctual. Everything happens at the last minute so by the time I see it, it's already occurred." Her unease was apparent in her quivering voice. Carlisle had tried to prepare her but I could see she was losing her resolve.

"Alice, you cannot interfere. You understand that don't you?" She buried her face in my chest and shook her head. I pushed her gently away from me. "Alice, I mean it; this is between Edward and I. If you interfere you could get hurt and it won't change anything. This is between us; there is nothing you can do."

This time, she nodded her head and flung herself back into my chest. "Please….please be safe and keep Edward safe too. Please Jasper."

We both heard Edward's approach now. I knew Alice would be repeating those words in her thoughts to Edward. She loved us both. For her we would both try to do as she asked, but I knew that in the end, her words would mean nothing. In a situation like this, words never did.

"Stay here, Alice." I pushed her away again, my finger under her chin forcing her to look up and meet my gaze. "I mean it Alice, no matter what, stay here."

She nodded and stepped aside, she was letting me go. I did not look at her again as I made my way downstairs to meet Edward.

I didn't need to think about what was going to happen next. Unlike Carlisle, I had no expectation on how I would take Edward down. I couldn't plan it, because unlike a coven leader exerting his control over his male subordinates, Edward and I were seeking the same thing, would be battling for the same thing and now Edward knew what was coming. There would be no surprise attack from me. If I tried to plan this, Edward would see it; he would understand it even if I tried to hide it in with other thoughts.

My experience would be my one advantage. Perhaps it would offset Edward's formable mind reading abilities perhaps not, but it was the one thing I brought with me that Edward could not emulate. Years of living in Maria's coven surrounded by aggressive male vampires had prepared me in a way that no one should be prepared.

The newborns she created and put under my charge were not in themselves a threat to me in the sense that Edward was to me now. Their strength, speed and unpredictability, the byproduct of their newborn status was what I had to control, not their need to dominate me. They actively sought my guidance, their unfamiliarity with their new vampire bodies, their fears, their unending thirst made me their undisputed master.

It was only when they started to turn to each other for sexual gratification in the most primitive of ways that my precarious hold on them began to slip. This usually occurred later in their young lives, when they had some semblance of control over their thirst and looked to other avenues of release for their pent up energy and to fill endless amounts of free time. Frequently their insubordination was met with their demise. Maria wanted her newborns young, strong and easily manipulated by promises of human blood when they pleased her. As their strength ebbed, their will became stronger and they became a liability that was quickly destroyed. But every now and then, a very young one with atypical control over his thirst would turn to sexual activity as another means of deriving gratification and in turn would need to be dealt with as he tried to take me down in order to better align himself with Maria. She found it amusing. I found it terrifying. They were much stronger than me and if there was one, there were always two. Seldom would they gang up on me, being more likely to turn on each other before it ever got that far. But even one young vampire driven with the instinctual need to change his rank within the coven could easily over power me given the right set of circumstances.

I killed as many as I coupled with, much to Maria's irritation. But I was left with little choice. Some were just too formable for me to subdue and mount and the only way for me to survive an encounter with them was to kill them outright. I had no illusions that they were capable of seeking only my submission. Their instincts were too strong, too new, too out of control. They would not be able to stop at a simple mounting, an exposed neck of an adversary would be too hard to resist. Any bite from a newborn in the dominate position would almost certainly be fatal.

On the occasions when I was able to tame them, they accepted their place willingly as my subordinate but within months they were destroyed anyway. I hardly thought it was worth the effort. All except for Peter that is. From the moment he was turned, I knew he would be a friend and confidant, a brother in arms. When his strength began to dissipate, I convinced Maria that we needed him to help with the newborns. Perhaps she was sympathetic to my plight, more likely she was grooming Peter as my replacement should I succumb in battle or at the hands of one of the newborns. Either way, I won and Peter was allowed to live.

As our territory expanded we needed to create more and more newborns to replace the ones lost in battle or disposed of by Peter and I. Handling males exclusively was becoming problematic and dangerous and again at my request, Maria agreed to start turning females. This didn't lessen or increase the amount of sexually active males, but it did eliminate the number of them. Females were much more docile in such situations and never attacked me out of a need to establish their rank within the coven.

When Peter mated with Charlotte, I knew what to expect. Peter did not and only reacted to his uncontrollable need to challenge and consequently remove me from my Beta status however he could. Our battle was fierce and lasted for several hours. Many of my scars were from Peter's sharp teeth. Unlike most newborns, Peter was in control and fought with tenacity of an experienced warrior. He was almost my equal. But his lack of strength and his inexperience was also his undoing and eventually I was able to secure the upper hand, forcing him down under me, my rage and lust barely under control as I pounded him into submission each thrust bringing a roar to my lips and a whimper of acceptance from him.

From that moment on there was no question who was in control and my final act of dominance over him was aiding him and Charlotte in their escape from Maria. Even though we no longer shared a coven and he and Charlotte only visited me occasionally; one look from me done in nothing more than a teasing gesture would still cause him to drop his head and refrain from making eye contact with me for hours.

I was thinking of Peter as I descended the stairs. I knew Edward would see him in my thoughts. Perhaps I could intimidate him with my remembrances of all of those I'd taken and even those I killed. Perhaps, but unlikely. Edward would not be easily intimated. He was inexperienced and untested, but under any circumstance, it would not be wise for me to underestimate him. And if I could not subdue him, I could not resort to the one option I'd always had in the past; I could not kill him. I would have to submit to him instead.

Edward came through the front door of the house as I reached the bottom of the stairs. Our gazes locked and held; for several seconds neither of us spoke.

"You're home." I finally said calmly.

"And you're expecting me." His tone matched mine.

"Alice is upstairs." I thought it important to remind him we were not alone

"I know, I wouldn't expect her to leave you alone."

"She won't interfere, Edward. This is about you and me. She knows that." I could not have him believe that Alice was a threat to him.

"If you were in danger she would." He contradicted me. I felt a tightening in my abdomen.

"Alice will not interfere." My voice was void of emotion, disguising my distress. I could not let him focus on my mate.

The tension in the room was palpable. I noticed a slight shift of posture; Edward was assuming a crouch. It would happen then. The time had come.

"You don't have to do this Edward." I spoke to him as I spoke to one of my newborns, my voice enticing, suggestive of an alternative that didn't exist. I assumed a slight crouch as well. We began the slow dance of circling each other.

"Neither do you," his eyes hadn't left mine, a slight smile played on his lips. "And I'm not one of your newborns. This will be a little different."

"Yes I expect it will, a little less dangerous." I smiled as well. He frowned at my insult.

"Don't count on it." His crouch deepened.

_You'll learn your place soon enough, boy. _

The time for conversation was over. A low growl rumbled from my chest. Venom pooled in my mouth. I tried to keep my mind blank as I stared into his onyx eyes, knowing my eye color matched his. I could only react, not plan and never think about my next move. My years of playful wrestling with him had prepared me for this. Not only could he see every move I thought to make, he could defend against it then turn it to his advantage. Everything I did had to be a reaction to something he did, a response to something he initiated. He would control the sequence of his advances; I would react to thwart them. I could not let his mind reading abilities be the catalyst that turned this confrontation in his favor.

I did not need to read his mind when he finally flung himself at me. I saw his body coil, his teeth clench, an intake of breath that preceded his attack which was all vintage Edward and I was ready. As he threw himself in the air at me, his mouth agape, his teeth shimmering with venom, I thrust my hand against his chest sending him catapulting end over end into the focal point of the room, the piano. One leg buckled sending the entire instrument over with a loud crashing groan, a dreadful clamoring of notes played a final tuneless farewell.

Edward sat in the ruins of his piano, stunned. His head slowly tilted toward me, his eyes enraged as he read my thoughts.

_Yes I did it on purpose. _I bared my teeth in a hostile smile. He charged again roaring in rage as he leapt at me. He was prone, completely exposed and I caught him around his torso tossing his body into the bookshelf by the front door destroying it and the dozens of ancient texts that were never read but occupied the space for their aesthetically pleasing exterior covers.

My ears picked up a whimper from Alice. Edward caught it too, because rather than launch himself at me again, he cocked his head and listened to her thoughts. A second later, he was up and out the front door. I followed. Apparently the destruction of the house was becoming too much for Alice.

I ran out the door without thinking, assuming Edward would give me a moment to orient myself, but to his credit, he hit me the moment I was clear of the house, our bodies flying end over end across the yard. Our growls ripped the crisp autumn night as we grappled with each other, struggling to break the other's hold, our teeth snapping the air, hisses escaping from our lips.

There were no words, nothing to civilize this skirmish. We were animals in every sense of the word; our grunts and growls, our struggles to ensnare the other in our grip becoming increasingly ferocious. The object was to subdue the other then mount him, effectively forcing the submission. It was ingrained in our species that this physical act would create the relationship and define the dominate and submissive roles without any other forms of communication. The roles could always be changed with subsequent challenges, but the initial contact, almost equivalently established the relationship for the rest of eternity.

Carlisle had resorted to biting Edward in our most vulnerable and potentially fatal location behind the neck at the base of the skull. I doubted I would be allowed a repeat performance as Edward always made sure his back was protected, never allowing me the opportunity to get behind him as we broke apart time and again, only to charge and resume our wrestling that was not in the playful spirit of previous tussles between us. On one such charge, I made the mistake of thinking about my inroad of attack and Edward caught the thought preparing for it as I made my lunge. I felt his teeth sink into my arm and screamed as the venom scorched my veins. Edward hung on, his teeth firmly planted forcing me backward, his body propelling hard against me driving me on my back into the ground.

I grabbed his throat with my free hand forcing him away from me, my fingers squeezing into his flesh, my hand not strong enough to snap his neck but making it uncomfortable and painful to remain as he was, attached to my arm. With a frustrated roar he released my arm and sprung back from me prepared to attack again. The agony in my arm was distracting, more debilitating then the actual bite. I worked my fingers, hoping my mobility hadn't been affected.

Edward lunged again and anticipating it, I thought about my evasive action before I did it, giving the advantage to him once again. His teeth found their mark in my shoulder, dangerously close to my neck. I roared in agony throwing myself forward, driving my shoulder into Edward. He staggered back from the momentum of my charge, releasing his grip on me, struggling to keep from going down but knowing it was futile, he turned and landed on his hands and knees. Scrambling to escape me he'd exposed his vulnerable side to me and ignoring the pain in my arm and shoulder, I sprung on him landing squarely on his back. It was my first chance to take him down and I grappled with his arms trying to force them together behind his back. Intuitively, I thrust against him, simulating a mounting. This occasionally worked in defusing the aggressive, but vulnerable opponent as they recognized their place and submitted without further remonstration. But he bucked and withered against me breaking my hold and squirmed out from under me.

We were both up squaring off again, Edward distinctly at an advantage as the burning of my wounds sucked at my reserves. I knew my thoughts were my enemy and I tried to clear my mind letting him make the decision on how to attack, getting back to reacting to it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure flying from the house. Alice! Edward saw her too and his focus was monetarily drawn to her. His face darkened, the working of his jaw was clearly visible. He no longer saw her as his favorite sister, but my mate, who would defend me to the death. She was a threat to him.

I involuntarily responded to the powerful rush of protective emotions that rushed over me; my mate was in danger. I saw the vampire before me, the livid expression on his face staring at the approaching pixie of a girl and my only thought was to kill. His head snapped back focusing on me, neither of us reacting to the oncoming headlights, visible through the trees, but Alice saw them. Her expression was of worry, than horror as she saw the future, her eyes locking on Edward. She spun and ran towards the car which had stopped abruptly still one hundred yards from the house. I did not see Carlisle emerge from the car, but I did see Alice get yanked in it and just as quickly the car was backing down the drive way, a protesting Alice clearly audible beneath the gunning of the powerful Mercedes engine.

A rumbling in my chest, increased exponentially as thoughts of my mate in danger rushed to the forefront of my mind pushing all other emotions, thoughts and feelings aside. I no longer remembered the rationale behind the battle. I only knew that the vampire before me was a lethal threat to my mate. He had to be destroyed.

Edward's eyes were on my face. His expression had softened somewhat, his senses returning, but he could see it was too late for me to contain my fury or control my emotions as I contemplated the safety of my mate and the danger that Edward was to her.

He shook his head ever so slightly, his only visible indicator that he knew what was coming and I answered him with such a roar of fury that I could feel the ground vibrate under me. I charged him, unconcerned that he would be able to read me, assuming his advantage would do little to stop me now. He tried to dodge my charge, but flustered, he'd misread my thoughts and aimed too high. I ducked under his arm and hit him full force in the chest, driving him across the clearing and into a tree that splintered under the onslaught of our bodies.

I had no interest in getting into a wrestling match now and as quickly as I'd taken him down, I jumped up and away from him, preparing to charge again. This time, I thought about taking him low, but at the last minute I sprung up catching him in the face slamming him against a rock that was reduced to powder as Edward's head made contact with it.

Edward twisted away from me but had no time to brace himself as I charged him again. I let him see my thoughts full on and felt a sadistic little thrill run through me as I saw his eyes widen before I even made contact with him. He saw what was coming but he did nothing to defend himself, something I didn't try to analyze as I launched myself through the air, my mouth parted baring my white venomous teeth. The kill was mine.

* * *

EPOV

There was a moment when I thought I had him. I saw it in his thoughts, the wavering of his confidence as he nursed the two painful bites. Had it been anyone else, I suspect it would have been a foregone conclusion, but Jasper was different. He'd been on the receiving end of hundreds of bites; his scars embedded one on top of the other each one representing a separate painful reminder of his past. I should have known that two bites wouldn't disable him, wouldn't even distract him from his ultimate goal. But instincts told me my opponent was hurt, weak; my time was now.

Then Alice distracted me. Her thoughts, intermittently filtering through my consciousness throughout our tussle; she was terrified. When I saw her coming towards us, I instinctually viewed her as an enemy. She was Jasper's mate; she would protect Jasper; she had to be stopped. The thought only flickered in my mind for a second, but I couldn't deny that I no longer saw her as Alice, couldn't deny that my only consideration was to rip her to pieces. And then Carlisle was there, his thoughts screaming at me to back off even as he was pulling Alice into the car and speeding back down the driveway. He was protecting her from me. It was unsettling. I forgot about Jasper in those brief seconds, but when I finally turned to face him, it wasn't the same Jasper I'd been brawling with just moments before.

He'd seen that look on my face, the look I'd give his mate and now I was facing the full wrath of his explosive skills as a warrior. His thoughts hit me first, his rage, his absolute fury, no longer was he thinking about forcing my submission, he was thinking about destroying me. Twice he charged me and twice I failed to use his thoughts of attack to my advantage. As he rose again, his eyes burning into mine, I could see every vampire he'd ever take down, every kill he ever made as his mind flashed through them in rapid succession, hundreds of vampire corpses had burned at his feet. And just as he tensed to charge, I saw a vision from Alice, an image of him dismembering a vampire, vividly clear. A house behind us, our house, the vampire at his feet dressed in my clothes and as he twisted the head, snapping it from the body, I saw the face and it was mine.

An instant later he hit me, hit me for real.

I was thrown fifty feet in the air and landed against the corner of the house, large sections of cement foundation blocks turning to dust on impact. Carlisle's thoughts managed to filter into my consciousness_. It's over Edward. You must not fight back_. _If you fight you will die._

Over? It was hardly over. I saw Jasper stalking me. He was still focused on the kill. I needed to defend myself. I had to fight. But I felt my resolve weaken. I still didn't fully understand the coven hierarchy or pecking order that existed just beneath the surface, there for all time, completely unbeknownst to me until two short months ago. I didn't understand why we were fighting, even as Carlisle tried to explain it to me, emphasizing the importance of establishing the strongest male as leader, assuming the coven was led by a male, with subsequent males falling in line based on their strength and skills that brought varying degrees of value to the coven. Using Carlisle's logic, there was no need for Jasper and I to fight. I'd seen his memories, seen his formability in battle, his capacity to dispel his enemies quickly, efficiently, while still holding onto a level of compassion that kept him from becoming a ruthless monster destroying those that were not of his persuasion. It was all there in front of me, I had no will to battle him over something that was rightfully his.

I didn't resist when he grabbed my throat, my body limp in preparation for what I anticipated would follow. I grabbed his wrist in a weak attempt to pull his hand off of me, but an involuntary whine escaped my lips, as his lips curled back from his teeth, and he leaned in preparing to bite. Again I whimpered my compliance and this time he hesitated, pulling back a little, his eyes flickering over my face. His surprise was evident. Through his thoughts I saw his confusion, his reason returning, his rage defused and another image from Alice. It was of me again, not torn to pieces this time, but bent under him as he roughly took me, his body covering mine…thrusting.

The force of the emotion that hit me, an emotion initiated by him was as powerful as any physical blow he'd delivered all night. I gasped as I felt his need, his desire to use me, mount me. The scent came second, his own inimitable smell, not unlike Carlisle's; but distinctly his own. The odor of his arousal, the smell that burned my nose when he coupled with Alice, but now in a different context, it had a more pungent aroma driven from a different need. His black irises swam with emotion and I followed the line of those eyes to my hand, still wrapped around his wrist. I instantly let go of him, my body held up only by the grip he still had around my neck.

With his free hand, he pulled at my shirt, the buttons popping as it was ripped from my body. He held me up higher until my feet were dangling in the air and yanked at the fabric of my jeans, shredding them and my boxers in one sweeping motion of his arm. I did nothing to hide the proof of my arousal growing between my legs and he snorted in satisfaction when he saw it; a validation of my desire to submit to him.

I wasn't prepared when he sent me flying across the yard again, my body rolling end over end, taking down whatever natural or manmade obstruction that got in my way including most of Esme's newly planted trees and a light pole that crumbled like a matchstick when I struck it with a flailing arm. His scent was overpowering and I breathed in deeply, the odor serving as my own private opiate. But it wasn't enough and I hungrily sucked it through my mouth and over my tongue, my lips opening and closing around the delicious tasting musky air as I tried to draw in as much as I could. I didn't recall the act of rolling onto my hands and knees, but I found myself in that position as I heard Jasper approach. His breathing heavy as he too sucked in the luscious bouquet that wafted up from our bodies.

I heard the ripping of his own clothes as he tore free of them and with my head hanging between my arms; I watched his otherwise silent approach. His luminous skin glittering in the moon light, his battle scars, including the ones I inflicted on him, standing out like medals of honor, justifying his right to mount and use me. He knelt between my legs, spreading them wider, positioning me as it suited him. I tensed, as I felt his breath against my ear, the odor that exuded from his pores was nothing compared to inhaling it from between his lips. He pressed them against the scar on the back of my neck, outlining the crescent shape, his thoughts revealing that he was contemplating biting me there again, perhaps in defiance of Carlisle.

But then they moved way and I could feel his nose slide down my back, as he sniffed along my skin, drinking in every bit of the stench permeating from my own flesh, different from his, but as powerful to him as his was to me, the smell of my submission. I felt his hand against my neck, forcing my face down into the grass, lifting my hips higher. My body tensed again, I knew enough to recognize that when he mounted me, I would be forever under his influence, at least in some small way and though the act could be reversed, I could challenge him again, we would never be equals as we had been.

But instead of feeling the pressure of his maleness invade me, I only felt the brushes of his nose and occasionally his lips as he continued to inspect me, first around my backside, and then further down, between my legs. I shuddered as a low growl of desire escaped from his lips and his lust increased significantly as he was drawn to the core of my maleness. I could feel his breath against my testicles, the sucking of air as he drew in the aroma of my maleness. I whimpered and shuddered under the non invasive assault, recognizing his need as he lips moved against me, a humming emanating from him, a torturously slow appraisal of what he now deemed as his, all of which I could read in his thoughts, cycling in with my own, my body convulsing of its own accord as I waited for him to finish his assessment of me.

But unlike Carlisle, Jasper appeared in no hurry to take what was his, no longer concerned with establishing his dominance over me. He was reveling in the experience, something that wasn't an option to him when he'd been forced to mount newborn after newborn in an effort to keep from being killed. I felt his face pressing against me, shuddered as he inhaled deeply, bracing myself against the ground as he butted his head again and again against my gonads. I heard him swallow as he tasted the scent between my legs, the hottest area of that aroma burning from the two orbs. Yet I was unprepared when I felt the flicker of his tongue against them, and I shot forward several feet with the new assault on my senses. His growl of displeasure, made me cower into the ground, my knees still bent under me, huddling beneath his glare.

He roughly positioned me as I was before. Face flat against the ground, my knees spread wide, my hips in the air. Again his head was between my thighs and this time I was prepared as I felt his tongue flicker out licking at my testicles. His sounds reminded me of when he fed; grunts of pleasure intermingled with sighs and murmurings of delight. He was feeding on me, satisfying his thirst for my scent, drinking in my desire.

Eventually he worked his way up, using his tongue as much as his nose, tasting everything that my body offered finally finishing on the spot that would hold his maleness, lapping at it hungrily, stopping intermittently to bury his nose there before resuming his oral examination.

I'd been whimpering with my need the entire time, but a new sound was escaping my lips or perhaps oozing from the pores of my skin; a soft purring noise, barely audible, different from a growl yet derived from the same place. I was growing insane with my need for him and feeling the intensity of his own desire to mount me only added to my yearning. For the first time I found my voice.

"Jasper, please. I…I can't take this anymore. Jasper….."

He growled, his lips vibrating against my opening. I felt the shifting of his body; felt him press himself against me. His nakedness sliding along my skin was foreign to me. I'd never felt the full length of a hard vampire body against mine before, never naked anyway. The power of it, his maleness, his unrelenting need making me wilt beneath him. I felt the nudging of his organ as his hands pulled at my hips, felt him thrust, once….twice….the third time hitting its mark, but before I felt the delicious sensation of the length of it slip in me he pulled out adjusting my position against him.

Apparently satisfied, I felt my flesh part around the length of him in one long agonizingly sensual stroke. The intensity of my pleasure sent little shivers rippling through my body, but I had no time to savor the fullness of his flesh in me. He started pumping himself against me; his grunts accompanied each one of his long strokes, my body tensing with each assault from his appendage. There was no pain, only a hot friction as he ground against me, a burning sensation, vaguely reminiscent of a healing bite that still commanded attention, but no longer hurt. I thrust my hips back meeting his thrusts, my desire to have his organ buried in me echoing his desire to fill me with it.

The slapping of our flesh sounded like the pounding of rock on rock. I had little doubt that Carlisle and Alice could both hear the rhythmic crescendo, a confirmation of our coupling and this held no shame for me, the bearing of witnesses to my submission felt natural and almost liberating. As I reveled in the feeling of Jasper's hard body against mine, I was unprepared for the excruciating pain that I felt in my shoulder and screamed my agony even as I grunted in pleasure from a particularly deep thrust. He'd bit me; bit the flesh between my neck and shoulder just as Carlisle had done, but on the opposite side. His teeth still embedded there, he held me in place as the thrusting increased.

_Remember, you serve me. You are here for my pleasure, Edward. _

Jasper's thoughts were punctuated with the sound of his hips smacking against me. I could only moan in response. The pain of his teeth embedded in my flesh intermingled with the gratification of feeling him fill me. I knew he spoke the truth. Under Carlisle's initial assault, I only felt the need to serve him, feel the chill of his seed as he pumped it into me, burning my insides with the force of its projection. It was only under his second mounting that I was able to derive some pleasure from the act myself, much of that due to Carlisle's thoughtful ministering.

Under Jasper's control, I felt more desire, felt a need to take something away from the experience and obviously that hadn't pleased him. The stinging bite was his reminder that I was there to serve him. I no longer thrust back against him, assuming Jasper's bite was intended to hold me stationary. I tried to totally dissolve under him, letting him use me for his pleasure only and was rewarded when he slowly released his hold on me, the pain still palpable, but less intense. As he rode me, I tried to focus only on his needs willing my body to remain as limp as possible so he could exploit it as he saw fit. But the very act of doing that, submitting completely, drove my desire. I smelled his overpowering intense maleness, heard the murmurings of contentment as he drove deeply into me, our bodies being pushed long the grass by the force of the impact. Through his thoughts I saw myself under him, my head bowed, the wound in my shoulder, a mark of his dominance over me and that fueled my passion.

Soon I was thrusting back against him again, my hands bracing against the ground, leveraging myself as I met him with equal fury and desire, my grunts and cries, louder and more timely. I needed his release as much as I needed my own. I was not punished again for my initiative and as the tempo of Jasper's desires increased, I dropped down on my elbows, my face flush against the ground, letting Jasper use me to climax, sealing my submission to him. His groans were borderline growls as the tempo of his strokes took on a new fury. I felt the first spurts of his icy semen empty into my bowels and I arched my back pushing against him encouraging him to fill me with his venom. He continued thrusting, the tempo decreasing as wave after wave of his desire was released inside me.

Venom released through a bite, was excruciatingly painful. Venom released by the male sexual organ was agonizingly blissful torture and whether the receptacle was male or female the feeling was the same. It burned only because of its coldness, the icy chill, swimming in pleasurably currents in the recesses of cavity it resided in.

Upon my initial coupling with Carlisle, when I still was in a state of shock over his actions, I felt his venomous semen burning through my bowels and that triggered in me a wave of sexual need encouraging Carlisle to take me again, in order to attain my own release. Jasper's venom offered the same euphoric sensation, but I was still at the height of my own desire, so its effects were somewhat muted.

With some effort, Jasper pulled his still erect organ from me and crouched over me as I collapsed on the ground and hugged myself in a fetal position. I viewed his face from my peripheral vision and saw it no longer contained the predatory animal of some minutes before but his features remained hard, unforgiving and unapologetic. He leaned over me and I tried to shrink even further into the ground. Viewing my face through his eyes, I could see my confusion and uncertainty clearly. My body still ached for release, but I wasn't sure it appropriate for me to do anything about it and nothing in his gaze suggested he would want me to.

_Before Alice gets back, you need to take care of this._

He held out his arm, the arm I'd bitten which was still oozing my venom. The wound looked vicious, it still gaped open exposing the creamy whiteness of the marble bone within. I unwrapped myself and leaned forward cautiously waiting for a reprimand, but when none appeared forthcoming, I allowed the venom to pool in my mouth and cautiously pressed my lips against the injury, letting my tongue transfer the healing venom to the wound. As I administered to the damage I'd inflicted, I felt Jasper's free hand part my thighs and close around my swollen member. He stroked me, his grip firm, his fingers applying pressure as he moved down the base and I groaned against his arm as he increased the tempo my legs spreading wide giving him easy access to me.

As the wound on his arm closed, I continued to lick the area associating his hand on me with my nursing of his injuries, not wanting it to end. He pulled his arm away and tapped at the injury on his shoulder. I sat up, leaning in, surprised that he would let me venture so close to his vulnerable neck. But he seemed confident in his control over me and he was after all, holding my very erect member which he knew I valued, so any threat I might present to him was almost nonexistent. As I worked on his shoulder, his fingers manipulated me with varying degrees of pressure and strokes and the noises emulating from me increased in volume. My hips lifted involuntarily seeking release.

My attention to his wound was not as diligent as it could have been, still the repairs were bearing results. When it was apparent to him that I was past being able to even offer the minimal attention to the almost healed injury, he pushed me on my back, and still squatting next to me, his hand moved rapidly on my organ. I felt the tightening in my testicles, and shuddered as the rush of venom spurt forth in wave after wave, the volume augmented by the long wait to expel it. I shuddered and cried out and with each new release of my seed brought a fresh chorus of sounds from my lips. When Jasper had milked the last drop of semen from me, he stood and spoke aloud to me for the first time.

"Carlisle is coming with Alice. Do I need to worry about you as far as Alice is concerned?" Jasper's voice was stern, he reminded me of a less forgiving Carlisle at that moment.

"No….no…..I'm sorry about earlier. I would never hurt Alice." I sounded repentant, but Jasper didn't look convinced.

"I would never give you the chance, but I want to make sure that you don't blame her for what happened." He was looking down at me, and I was looking towards the driveway, for the headlights of the car. I couldn't look at him.

"Of course not. She….it wasn't her fault. This was the way it was suppose to be."

"Yes, I think so too." Jasper nodded approvingly. Any other time his tone would have irritated me, but now I could only mimic the nod of his head. I had the same bewildered feeling as I had after Carlisle took me. I felt incomplete, like part of me was missing, yet in its place were feelings and subdued emotions that I needed to explore and embrace. Right now, I wasn't ready, but this time I knew what to expect.

_Edward, are you alright?_

It was Carlisle. He was running through the trees, not driving his car.

I nodded my head, standing slowly, my legs felt unsteady, and when I felt the powerful rush of Carlisle's lust, I followed the will of my legs and dropped to my knees again. I wasn't in any condition to try and resist the will of the coven leader. Through Carlisle's eyes, I could see that Jasper was glaring at him, his thoughts revealing his perceived ownership of me and his resentment over Carlisle's interest.

My head sagged; the power of the emotions and thoughts of those around me was crushing me with the intensity of it. I was prepared to submit to either or both of them at their demand. I didn't remember ever feeling so exhausted.

Carlisle's piercing stare was unwavering. He made no attempt to control his arousal, obviously spurred on by the scents on Jasper and myself which had subsided significantly but the residuals still clung to our bodies. His desire to take me himself was apparent in his thoughts and his scent.

Alice was there too, slowly inching towards Jasper who was so focused on Carlisle that he hadn't noticed her. For the first time in five decades, I saw Jasper attempt to stare Carlisle down, his thoughts calculating the possibilities of taking him, forcing Carlisle's own submission, thus taking control of the coven.

Carlisle was aware of it; he was allowing the emotion of his arousal and lust go unchecked for that very reason; testing Jasper's resolve, his control over me, forcing Jasper to address it now, when he, Carlisle was ready for him.

A low snarl rumbled from Carlisle and Jasper still naked, crouched defensively. Carlisle was wasting no time reestablishing himself as he slowly advanced on Jasper, not mimicking the crouch himself, standing tall and confident, daring Jasper to make the first move. The wavering came only seconds later, so quickly that if I hadn't been watching through Carlisle's eyes, I never would have seen it. Jasper broke contact, his eyes darted away, then back then away again, his crouch lost its rigidity, his knees were still bent, but more as if he were sagging under the weight of his body then in a preparation to spring. His head drooped, his shoulders slumped and as Carlisle closed the distance standing inches from Jasper's bowed head, he dropped to his knees prepared to take whatever punishment Carlisle felt fitting.

But Carlisle didn't punish and only Jasper's memories of his other coven made him susceptible to believing it was always possible, there was always a first time. Instead, Carlisle placed his hand on Jasper's shoulder, touching the wound I'd inflicted, nodding approvingly at the rate of healing.

"Arm please." He said softly.

Jasper complied, holding up his injured arm and again Carlisle examined it reaching the same conclusion.

"Alice take Jasper upstairs. I think we're done for tonight."

He watched them go and then turned to me. His lust had ebbed; his scent was pure Carlisle again. _Are you injured son? _

I shook my head. He was not through with me just yet.

"Your shoulder?"

"Its fine," My voice barely above a whisper.

_Come here Edward._

I stood up obediently and walked to him, my head still down. Carlisle's hand was under my chin, lifting it forcing my eyes to meet his. "Besides you're shoulder, are you alright?"

I nodded then added, "Its how it should be."

"For now." Carlisle said smiling.

"For now." I couldn't help smiling back at him.

He leaned over me and I tensed as his teeth approached my neck but I could hear only quiet soothing thoughts of the doctor in him as he analyzed my bite and tenderly sealed the wound with his own venom. For a brief instant, I felt the resurgence of his desires, the pungent smell of his lust as he sucked in the aroma of Jasper's odor still impregnated in my body, but shuddering in an effort to control it, he managed to push it back and the smells ebbed away.

He motioned for me to follow him as he turned towards the house.

"I think we'll wait and talk about why you aren't with Bella, tomorrow."

I nodded feeling ashamed that I'd instigated this confrontation, but I heard him chuckle.

"I heard from your mother, she said the house is done, we can move any time."

I stopped and looked at him expectantly.

His eyes locked with mine and this time I didn't look away.

"By this time next week, Bella should be one of us."

* * *

**_Author Notes:_**

**_I've decided to do one shots involving Carlisle and Jasper and Carlisle and Emmett. They will be past experiences, 1936 and 1951 respectively._**


	3. Revelation

******WARNING: CONTAINS MATURE THEMES OF SEXUAL DOMINATION. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF THIS IS OFFENSIVE TO YOU.**

This is a Carlisle/Emmett Slash.

* * *

**_Summer 1936_**

Carlisle's POV

Shame.

It washed over me in a tsunami of emotion unlike any I had ever known. The only small comfort I took from my overwhelming misery was knowing that Edward was there witnessing it, reading it in my thoughts. He would discern even as he stood glaring at me now, that nothing he felt could equate with my own feelings of disgust over my behavior.

Feeling his gaze upon me, I forced my head from my hands and looked at him. I did not see the outrage on his face now, as I had moments before. He appeared confused, uncertain and a little fearful of me. Wonderful, not only was my wife, petrified, but now I was scaring my son.

"Carlisle, what is wrong with you?" Edward spoke barely above a whisper, fearing I presumed, another outburst of the same or greater magnitude than the last.

_I'm sorry Edward. Please forgive me. I will explain, but now I must talk to Esme. I can't bear the thought of her judgment of me in the same context as her husband._

"She doesn't think of Charles as her husband anymore." Edward corrected, though I saw little to distinguish the difference between us at the moment.

_Did you see where she went?_

"To the river I think, on the hill overlooking the island."

I nodded. It was her favorite place to read and draw or catch a moment of private time.

As I moved to follow her I felt Edward's hand on my arm. I turned and found him studying me scrupulously.

"Carlisle? You won't hur…scare her?"

The pain in my face must have given him his answer, as his fingers slid from my arm and he nodded, his face carrying the agony of a son that for the first time, saw his father in a less than favorable light.

I ran out the door to where I knew I would find her, my darling sweet wife; the women that for the last thirteen years had made me as happy as I'd been in the previous almost three hundred. How could I have reacted as I did? She was terrified; I didn't have to think hard on the memory of only a quarter of an hour before to realize that. The face, that looked at me wide eyed and frantic as she sought an escape from the room that held the husband she thought she knew so well was seared in my memories forever.

I found her on the hill as Edward said. It pained me to see her body stiffen as she smelled my approach. But she wouldn't run. She had too much pride for that. She simply waited, not turning around or acknowledging me in any other way as she felt my approach.

"Esme?" I spoke softly, gently, hoping it would be enough to mend her tattered confidence in me. I was not the monster I'd been just a few short minutes ago. "Esme, please forgive me. I can't bear the thought of you being afraid of me. I can explain. Please Esme."

I saw her body shudder, knew she was crying and felt my face contort as a sob threatened to escape my lips. How could I have lost control like that, in front of my own wife? I knew her frailties, her insecurities, but in that moment it didn't matter, in that moment, I was out of control, demanding she submit to my authority over the family.

I heard her suck in a breath. "Yes please explain, I've never seen you like that Carlisle. Never."

"I will my darling, but please turnaround, please come here, I only want to hold you." I held my breath, a leftover human response, anticipating her rejection, hoping for her forgiveness. For a moment I thought she would not concede to my request, but then, very slowly, she turned to face me.

The look on her lovely face was devastating to me and I almost wished she hadn't acquiesced. It crushed me to see her mistrust, her fear. I had everything I could do not to fall at her feet and cry out my shame. But that too would have scared her, reinforcing her suspicions that I wasn't that man she thought I was. My weakness would be almost as unnerving as my bullying had been; all my attributes a sham, her belief in me a lie. I had to convince her that her faith in me had not been in vain or she would never believe what I had to tell her next.

I held my arms out to her, another opportunity for her to reject me, but instead she raised her chin and walked into my embrace, giving me another chance, trusting me. I pulled her stiff body to me burying my nose in her hair, reveling in her delicious sweet scent; thankful that I would be given an opportunity to explain my grievous actions to her before she shut me completely out.

But how would I go about doing that? The image from just moments ago of me throwing Emmett against a wall, first as a defensive reaction when he lunged for me, then in an aggressive posturing I'd never felt before, never towards another vampire and certainly never towards my own creation, my own child. The rage, the absolute fury that overtook me in that brief moment was all consuming. Nothing, not Rosalie, hissing and spatting at me in protection of her mate who lay sprawled in the rubble that had been the exterior wall to my den, nor Esme who stood at the doorway of the room her hand over her mouth as she looked first to Emmett, than me, than Emmett again, could contain it.

Now as I held my wife, rocking her back and forth, my lips moving through her hair, I had time to reflect on my actions, compose myself, and confess to her the true nature of our species. In that moment in the den when I felt Emmett's predatory stare, smelled his lust, not directed at his wife, but at me, it came to me. I knew from which Emmett's desire sprung. When he'd charged me, I'd only reacted, tossing him threw the wall with a flick of my wrist, thankful in that moment that he'd lost most of his newborn strength, but wary of the incredible strength he still retained, would always have. Esme's screams at us to stop had only provoked me and I'd reacted without thinking when I sprung at her, towered over her cowering form, dominating my mate in presence alone, willing her away from this interaction that she could not, should not be part of.

Edward, upon hearing the commotion and his mother's silent pleas had appeared on the scene too stunned to react, but the look of horror on his face was enough to break the spell that held me, allowing Esme to crawl from under my towering form and Rosalie, a chance to drag Emmett away.

I hadn't spent years in Volturi not to understand the significance of this encounter and everything came back to me in a flash, all the conversations, I'd had with Aro, all the times I'd witnessed the grab for power from the brothers, by one of the guard or other visiting vampires. I would have been impervious to it had not Aro explained it to me, warned me in effect. Hadn't I fought off the advances of several of the Volturi females just to keep myself immune to the brother's influences? They couldn't touch me, couldn't bend me to their will unless I'd coupled with another first. .

But now I was mated and I brought in a male that was also mated. It didn't take me long to understand that I'd set this whole confrontation in motion the day I changed Emmett. Would I have done anything different if I had a chance to think about it? Probably not, but I still had to explain what was happing, what was still to come, to my wife.

"Esme…Esme, I'm so sorry, can you forgive me?" I whispered into her hair, feeling her body relax against me, melting into my own.

"Carlisle, please tell me what happened back there. That wasn't you, that man I saw, it wasn't you," Esme said against my shirt, her fingers clinging to my arms as she tried to convince herself that I wasn't turning into her former husband Charles, charming and personable one minute and violent and unpredictable the next.

"No Esme, I'm not the man you saw, but that is only because you did not see a man, you saw an animal and I am that animal." Bluntness would be my shortest way to redemption, but I wasn't sure it was the wisest as I felt my wife stiffen once again in my arms.

She pulled back and looked at me sharply. "What does that mean?"

"Esme, there is something about us that I must tell you, something that separates us from humans, and I am not talking about all of the obvious things, I am talking about something more primitive, more instinctual, more animalistic."

"What Carlisle?" Anxiety was creeping into her voice. She gripped again and again at my arms.

"Come let's sit; I motioned to our favorite place under a large sycamore tree. Once we were settled on the lush grass, her small frame tucked between my legs her back pressing against my chest in one of our favorite embraces, she relaxed some and leaned her head back against me.

"You must tell me Carlisle, tell me what is bothering you, what is wrong with you. Don't hold anything back. Please…"

"Emmett is going to try and take over this coven." I would hold nothing back.

"What….take over…..what are you talking about Carlisle?" The fear was creeping back into her voice. This conversation would take its toll on my wife.

"Emmett is going to challenge me for leadership of this coven."

"Stop calling us that. We are not a coven, we are a family. It's ridiculous. You are his father, take over indeed. I'll….I'll thrash him myself if he disrespects..."

"Esme…Esme," My fingers slipped through her caramel locks. "We are never going to get through this if you don't let me tell you. Arguing about it won't change anything."

"Fine." There was my Esme, arms crossed and pouting in my arms. I felt a little better.

"I know we are a family. You are my wife; Edward, Rosalie and Emmett are my children, are our children. But darling, we are not human, no matter how much we want to pretend we are." I nuzzled her hair, her naivety part of what endeared her to me. "We are and always will be ruled by our instincts. They will always dominate who we are. We are at the mercy of them. Like hunting, our bloodlust; it can be hard, if not impossible to resist the call that drives us, controls us, rules us. That is what has happened with Emmett."

"But what has happened, Carlisle, I don't understand." She reached back with her hand and stroked my head.

"Two males cannot co-exist in the same coven peaceably unless one establishes dominance over the other." The words came out in a quick rush. I hesitated, waiting for the next question and when it didn't come I continued. "Emmett is trying to establish his dominance over me so he can take over leadership of this coven.

"I see. And what does that mean, how does one dominate the other?"

She would ask that. Of course she would.

"In order to establish dominance in most cases one male has to couple with another, has to have, I suppose you could say sexual intercourse." Only my bloodless body kept me from blushing.

"Wha..at?" Esme was turning in my arms to look at me.

"It's a form of dominance. It's prevalent with other species of animals. It's part of nature. It's who we are."

"Wait. Are you….are you saying….Emmett wants to have relations with you?" Esme gasped but a small giggle escaped her lips.

"Not exactly." How could I explain this to my innocent wife? She was the most human amongst us.

"Honestly Carlisle. I'm not a child. Tell me exactly what you mean."

I sighed. Why was I having such difficulty verbalizing this? I was a doctor for God's sake.

"I've witnessed it, when I was in Volterra. It's a violent act. Desire, lust, play a part in it, but its purpose is to exercise the right to take what one perceives they own. Only sexually active males feel this need to establish themselves in a coven of other males. That's why we've never had an issue with Edward. He has none of the urges that Emmett does, it wouldn't even occur to him to challenge me. Edward perhaps more than any of the rest of us, is not in touch with this more primitive side of himself. It will manifest itself should he ever couple with another female or find a mate, but until then, he still lets his memories of his human life dictate how he behaves within our little family unit."

"But what of you Carlisle, why now, why hasn't this been an issue for you since you and I were….mated." Esme had settled herself back in the comfort of my firm embrace, understanding that I could speak more freely without her eyes on me.

"No one has challenged me. Edward had never been a threat. He defies me truly as a son does a father, not as a male vampire would another male. And Emmett has only just begun to feel antagonistic towards me. As a newborn his bloodlust was his biggest need, and Rosalie kept him ummmm…occupied and under her control as much as she could, but I can see now that he's getting more and more frustrated. He doesn't understand what is happening to him any more than the rest of you do, but he doesn't need to understand it, his instincts will take over; it's only a matter of time.

"And when that time comes, what will happen?

"If I let this go on, he will attack me…." As Esme gasped, I quickly went on. "He is only protecting his mate, Esme. If he had any control over himself he would be horrified by his actions. My guess is he's lamenting over his behavior today as it is. But he will do it again. Each challenge will get more severe unless I put a stop to it and the only way I can put a stop to it is to….is to meet his challenge, dominate him.

"Have relations with him…?" Esme whispered horrified. "Carlisle how could you?'

"Esme…Esme…." How could I explain this to my wife? She was thinking like a human. If she would just indulge in her vampire sensibilities she would not be repulsed by the image of her husband taking her son.

"I can assure you sweetheart that there is nothing in this encounter that you could call relations as you know them. But understand that if I don't take him, couple with him only two things will happen. He will take me, or he will kill me, there is no other likely outcome."

I hadn't meant to say it, mention the danger involved; it had slipped out without consideration for Esme's reaction. I didn't have to wait, in seconds she was out of my arms and standing some distance from me, her eyes wide with shock, looking at me like I'd just sprouted another head.

"Whaa…at." She managed to gasp, her mouth working as she attempted to say more.

I sprung up and approached her slowly my hands in front of me. "Esme…Esme. Please, it's not like that. It would never come to that. I should never have said anything."

"No. I want to know everything, but Carlisle….kill you?" She pressed her tiny hand to her lips.

"Sweetheart that is not going to happen, I just wanted you to know that this is unavoidable, there is nothing, no words that can stop it." I said gently, taking her in my arms again. "But there is one alternative."

"What Carlisle, anything?"

"We could leave."

"Leave?" Another gasp. "What do you mean leave?"

"We could leave, separate, or even, ask them to leave."

"What are you talking about? Ask our children to leave us?" Esme was on the verge of tears. She'd lost one son as an infant and another, Edward, when he rebelled against our lifestyle for a short time. The thought that she could lose her entire family was too much.

"We would leave Emmett and Rosalie. Rosalie is mated to him so she will go wherever he goes. Edward would come with us. He is loyal to me and is not under the influence of a dominate leader." I explained thankful in retrospect that Edward had not found Tanya desirable.

"I….I don't think I could do that Carlisle." Esme whispered in a shaky voice.

"Of course you couldn't my love. No mother should ever be asked to part with her children. I would never expect you to, nor will you have to." I kissed her sweet smelling hair. "Please trust me Esme when I say everything will be fine. It will work out. Emmett is only a year old. I've been around for hundreds of years. I know what I'm doing. I would not risk us if I didn't think so."

I felt her nod against my chest. I was glad Esme couldn't see my face. I'd never been good at lying to my wife.

The tension in the house did not subside with the incident in my den. Emmett had actively avoided me for the days following it even before I sent him and Rosalie out hunting for a few weeks while the house was repaired. Explaining the large hole in the side of our house to the workman that came to fix it had been a challenge all on its own. Edward finally conceded and drove his precious Lincoln Roadster into it, adding more destruction to the room and destroying the sacrificial car.

My son had been particularly watchful of my behavior around Esme, fearing for his mother's safety as he couldn't hope to understand what triggered my domineering reaction, worried that my unpredictable behavior was not just a one time occurrence. With Emmett's absence, my calm demeanor returned and soon his fears were placated. I could not explain to my son what was looming in our future. He would not understand or if he did, he might try intervene which had its own disastrous set of consequences that I didn't want to contemplate

Upon Emmett and Rosalie's return, the strain in the house was palpable. Emmett, remained bullish and in poor spirits. Even during his newborn year as he fought his unending thirst, his disposition had been gregarious and jovial, yet little of that endearing spirit remained; replaced by a brooding shell of his former self. Edward tried to run interference between us, even tempering his own personality to appear more playful and extroverted cajoling Emmett into games and wrestling matches that he usually didn't instigate. The latter concerned me. In his foul mood, Emmett could inflict some serious damage on his brother without intending to. I could delay the inevitable no longer. Emmett needed to be dealt with. Procrastination would not lesson my burden and responsibly and for the first time, I would need to prove that I was worthy of the title of coven leader.

* * *

Edward's POV

I didn't recognize the danger at first to absorbed in the thrill of the run, exhilarated that my speed would go unmatched; Emmett could no longer beat me in an all out sprint. We'd been running along the river's edge traversing through the foliage with little regard to the denseness of it, always heading south, away from people, civilization and any chance that Emmett might encounter human scent. I outpaced him by a good margin and could hear his curses under his breath as he too realized his days of beating me in a foot race were over.

I'd almost missed them, the mumblings of human thoughts so skilled I'd gotten in blocking them out. I didn't like to think about my time away from Carlisle and Esme, when I finally unleashed the monster inside of me, tried to refrain from thinking about it as much as I could, but if there was some minuscule piece of good that came from my dabble on the dark side, it was my ability to block human thoughts. I'd developed the skill quite unexpectedly. Carlisle thought it might be a defensive mechanism. My vampire brain adapting to my special gift, limiting its effectiveness when I fed to shroud the thoughts of those condemned souls whose dying thoughts could still haunt me, even as I'd tried and found them guilty of heinous deeds against humanity. When I realized the error of my ways and returned to Carlisle, humbled and ready to embrace the vegetarian lifestyle again, I found I could block humans much more effectively then before my bout with rebellion.

Now this newfound ability was disadvantageous. We were approaching the humans fast; whoever owned these thoughts, still out of Emmett's range of hearing and smell, but not for long. Did I have enough time to stop him?

Abruptly I slowed and felt Emmett gain rapidly. He wouldn't slow to see what brought me up sharply, he was too competitive for that but I could take advantage of his never ending need to show off his superior strength. Just as he brushed by me I swung abruptly to the side and clipped his shoulder sending him tumbling through the underbrush that collected along the isolated riverbank. I heard a splash, more curses as he found himself in the water and his thoughts, full of retaliatory options.

I was prepared for his good natured attack and let him catch me as he shot up from the river and over the bank in one powerful thrust of his legs, our bodies tumbling end over end into a small grove of trees. I was immediately up, prepared to head towards home, lead him away from the dangers that only I could hear, but felt him grapple with my legs as he attempted to pull me down again. Then it happened. The wind shifted, a gust blew across the fenland where we wrestled and I smelled it, humans, their scent sweet and ripe wafting in the late summer breeze.

Emmett's head snapped up and I was quickly forgotten as he tossed me aside, springing to his feet. He threw back his head sniffing hungrily at the scent determining the location of the source before he began to hunt. If I had time to contemplate it, I would have acknowledged that he was making progress towards his control. As a newborn he would have bolted, the scent driving him into a frenzy with its delectability. He would have crashed through the trees recklessly, searching for the human behind it, the term hunting, hardly applied as he would find his victim more through trial and error then any skill.

As he burst into a run towards the general direction of the scent, I sprang up and quickly followed him. There would be little question that I could catch him, but how would I contain him. The waning of his newborn strength, aside, he was and would always be much stronger than me.

"Emmett…..Emmett no," My voice was barely audible, but he could clearly hear me if he chose too. "You must ignore that scent, Emmett, think about it. It's a family, children. Please…." Panic filled me but it wasn't just for Emmett's need. I could feel it too. Feeding off of his thoughts, his memories, his burning desire for human blood, my bloodlust was growing, my control slipping. If I didn't stop him, I would be there with him, fighting over and feeding off them too.

Disregarding the danger he presented to me, I shot through the woods after him. He was too far gone in his bloodlust, he did nothing to protect his back, and I easily brought him down. We crashed through the trees, the vegetation offering little resistance to the onslaught of our boulder like bodies.

"Emmett, no you can't. Listen to me; think of Rosalie, you must ignore that scent…." Pleading was having little effect. I felt my brother's muscles tighten under me and even prepared for it, I couldn't stop him as he flung me aside a roar of anger escaping his lips.

"Leave me be...or…or I'll hurt you." He hissed, jumping to his feet again sniffing the air for the scent that was briefly lost in the swirling of southeastern winds. His eyes were wild, his thoughts a churning mix of thirst and need and…and something I couldn't identify. He was dangerous and it wasn't just his bloodlust. There was something predatory about him, not evil, not even bad, but animalistic and primitive; he was being governed completely by instinct. The human in him was crushed under the weight of his bestial desires.

I hadn't noticed anything in his thoughts leading up to it. He was just Emmett, my new burley brother, boisterous and rambunctious. He'd come crashing into our lives, with his magnanimous personality from the moment of his change. He was such an unlikely addition. Hardly someone I would imagine that scholarly Carlisle would decide to change on his own but at Rosalie's unlikely request, he had. This crude, loud, hardly refined, bear of a man invaded our lives and became Rosalie's mate, much to our parent's astonishment. Rosalie had been changed for me. Carlisle never confirmed it or actively acknowledged it, but I'd gathered bits and pieces from his thoughts. I was thankful for Emmett in a way the rest of my family didn't understand. He'd released me from my responsibilities to Rosalie. The looks she gave him, the smells that emanated from her when he was around, it was all the proof I needed that she loved him, more proof than I needed. I could barely tolerate being in their presence. But he brought something to the family that was sorely missing; joy and good humor and despite his poor control coupled with his uncannily dangerous strength that made containing him a challenge; our family was more complete with him in it.

But something had changed, crept up on our happy little household in the past few months. I saw it now, ever since Carlisle had tossed him through the wall of the house, it was hard to miss. I still shuddered to think about that day. Hearing the crashing, the thoughts, particularly Esme's, terrified of Carlisle, it was unfathomable to me, yet when I ran to the den, I couldn't deny what I was seeing. Emmett in a rage at Carlisle, being held back by his mate who looked ready to attack him as well. And Carlisle, gentle understanding Carlisle, standing glowering over Esme, backing her into a corner as she tried to protect her out of control son from her domineering husband. There had been nothing in Carlisle's thoughts at that moment, nothing that I could recognize in him as the man I knew and it terrified me. I, more than anyone, even Esme, thought I knew and understood my creator. I'd been privy to his thoughts from the moment of my change. Yet this man, this beast that stood berating his wife with his posture alone, was a stranger to me.

When Emmett had been forced into exile to accommodate the workman who's blood would be too tempting for him, Carlisle was back, the Carlisle I knew. All his thoughts neatly organized, as they should be, only his grief and shame over his behavior towards Esme, reaffirming that I hadn't imagined the entire thing.

Now as I lunged for Emmett again, I was reminded of Carlisle, for in Emmett's thoughts I could see nothing of the brother I knew. Just his thirst and the empty endless void that concealed the essence of his humanity and how he was going to grab me around the neck and twist…

_Edward no._ Carlisle's inner voice. He was approaching fast downwind from us.

My arms were locked around Emmett's waist, one of his arms trapped against his body dragging him down, trying to keep him from twisting around, even with one arm, one hand he might just be strong enough to…

_Edward you must let go, he's too dangerous. _

I resisted Carlisle's instructions. If I could just hold him, Carlisle would be there to help me, we could stop him. I didn't want to move again and this was a family. They would be missed; their deaths not easily explained away like we'd had to do with that lone hunter or unfortunate transient. Besides, there were children too and our bloodlust didn't discriminate.

I felt the grip of Emmett's fingers in my hair. My arms were still locked around him, but it didn't stop him from grabbing at me with his free hand.

"Emmett, think about this, what you are doing. Where is the brother I know? Think about your mate." I attempted to keep my words soft, soothing, despite my panic. His mind was devoid of the Emmett I knew, he was no longer the brother I'd come to love. I felt pain as his large hand clamped around the base of my skull, sliding lower, tightening.

I was not prepared for the ferocious roar that reverberated through the trees, so deafening, it was entirely possible that those hapless humans some miles away, could have heard it. I lurched against my brother, momentarily confused, feeling the attack was coming from behind us, the danger behind me, not from the raging beast I still held in my grip. His hand had loosened from around my neck, a reprieve that allowed me to spring free of him, to better calculate another inroad of attack, hopefully one that would allow me to wrap up both of his arms.

The roaring didn't subside however and my attention was pulled from my brother who was on his feet facing his bigger nemesis, his bloodlust, amazingly no longer take precedence over everything else. I was stunned into inactivity as I turned to face Carlisle, his thoughts once again, a vacant raging cloud; his focus entirely on Emmett.

"You won't be hunting humans today, Emmett." He growled, his eyes, onyx marbles in his skull, his lips pulled back in a sneer. This was not the Carlisle I knew. This was the Carlisle from the den of a month ago; the one that sent his beloved wife cowering from him in terror.

I crouched and growled at this stranger, finding camaraderie with my brother for the first time. This beast was much more dangerous than Emmett and his uncontrollable bloodlust.

"It's our nature, it's our way. I'm tired of feeding off of animals." Emmett hissed. He took no notice of me ready to defend him. His thoughts were only on the predator before him.

"You will not hunt humans." Another snarl from the incarnate of my gentle father. "I did not create you to become a murderer."

I tried to stand upright. This was Carlisle. I was growling at Carlisle. A beast, a monster would not be trying to stop Emmett. I had to refocus, help him. Emmett was the problem, not Carlisle.

"You can't have Rosalie and feed off of humans, she would never tolerate it." I tried a softer approach. The shift of the wind made it easier to forget about the humans, but I could still hear them. Another shift and their scent would be back tempting us again.

_Edward, you need to leave us. This is between Emmett and I. _The clearing in Carlisle's mind was brief as he spoke to me, but he never looked away from Emmett, he never acknowledged me in any other way. As quickly as it was there it was gone and again I was left with swirling blackness of his fury.

Emmett's posture had not changed, but the lack of human scent had made him less infuriated. He was facing Carlisle down, and neither of them seemed prepared to give in to the other. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined Emmett challenging Carlisle in this manner. Even at my worst as a newborn I hadn't acted so aggressively. Even at Emmett's worst, he had been conciliatory; apologizing as he physically cast us aside as we tried to restrain him from a stray human scent. This Emmett was a stranger to me. He was manifesting himself into something completely different than the man I knew. Yet Carlisle's reaction was similar, they both appeared to be metamorphosing into other beings, other entities completely in sync with each other. It was I that seemed not to understand what was happening.

Feeling the situation had peaked and we were no longer at a stalemate, I started backing away from the glaring pair. "I'll check on the humans. Send them on their way, if Carlisle's roaring hasn't already done that." I tried levity, assuming the worst was behind us, it wasn't until I saw Emmett's glare shift from Carlisle to myself that I realized the grievous miscalculation I'd made. I saw it in his mind, before he charged. I was jeopardizing his food source. I was going to take what was rightfully his. I barely had time to bring my hands up protecting my vulnerable neck before he hit me.

His screams of rage, surely equaled Carlisle's in their intensity, but it was his physical attack that had my attention. I struggled against him, my hands against his chest, keeping just far enough away from his snapping teeth to protect my neck, but could do little else against his violent onslaught.

Carlisle was on him an instant later, throwing Emmett from me, the projectile of his body taking the tops off of several trees. I was yanked to my feet, Carlisle's intense dead black eyes, sending shudders through me, again he was the beast. _You will go back to the house Edward. You put me at risk with your presence here. You put Emmett at risk. Do you wish for me to destroy him?_

I opened my mouth to speak… to protest. I couldn't leave Carlisle here to deal with _that_….that beast of a brother that was closing on us fast, enraged and mindless of our relationship to him.

Carlisle felt him coming and turned at the last possible second, a fist connecting soundly with Emmett's head sending him sprawling again.

"LEAVE! NOW! EDWARD! GO BACK TO THE HOUSE!" The words, an explosive roar coming from Carlisle's lips. Said for Emmett's benefit as well as my own, there left little doubt that Carlisle wanted me gone and not toward Emmett's humans, whose lives still hung in the balance, should the wind shift again. Carlisle's disregard for their lives did more to spur me towards home than the ferociousness of his tone. It was too uncharacteristic, too heartless and reminded me again that the man I knew and loved didn't currently occupy the body of the one that stood before me.

I slipped from his grasp, keeping one wary eye on my brother who was once again fixated on Carlisle, circling him and as I turned to run, I wondered if I would ever see either of them again.

* * *

Emmett's POV

His black eyes stalked me as I circled him, never leaving mine, not even blinking. Their intensity was intimidating, but I couldn't look away. This…this beast before me was no longer my creator, no longer my father, I no longer took comfort from his presence or sought his advice or basked in his approval. He represented everything I feared, everything I loathed, everything I desired, everything I craved. I needed what he had; I needed him to…to…to…..what?

I heard him yell, saw Edward bolt. A small part of me softened at the knowledge that he was gone. I wouldn't have to hurt him. And I almost had. The urge to destroy him had been strong. What was wrong with me? He was my brother he was just trying to stop me from….humans. The venom filled my mouth at the thought, I tilted my head back, forgetting about Edward, smelling the breezes, the wind had shifted, that delicious scent was out there, I just had to wait; it would come back to me again, that teasing tantalizing smell. And when it did, I would latch on to it let the thick air slide between my lips, tasting it, feeding on it before I ever got to them. And with Edward gone, I would get them all, three or four at least, each one more delicious than the next and I would take my time feeling their blood pump into my mouth. I'd be neat, not wasting a drop, as neat as my dear Rosalie, who never looked like she fed, daintily dabbing her lips as she stood up from the drained carcass. Just thinking about her…

"Emmett!"

A snarl escaped my lips at the sound of _his_ voice.

"You! This is your fault…all of this. YOUR FAULT!" I screamed at the fiend before me. My need to charge him, take him down was overpowering, but as he crouched, waiting for me to do that very thing, I hesitated.

"Emmett. I know you can't help it son, how you feel. I'm sorry." This was Carlisle. His voice was soft, soothing, lulling me into remembering him.

"I…I…need to protect my mate." The words slid from my mouth, but I was confused. What did I mean by that? I never referred to Rosalie as my mate. She was my wife, she would be aghast to hear me call her my mate, like we were animals. Yet understanding shown in Carlisle's eyes; no longer black they were the familiar soft buttery ochre. I relaxed my crouch as well. The feeling had past. Whatever it was. And now I only felt foolish.

"Come, we'll talk later. Let's go for a swim." Carlisle turned his back on me, assuming I would follow. And I did, I didn't understand what was happening, why my moods had been so foul, my rages so intense, different from my newborn fury, this seemed to have a purpose. I felt I was being led somewhere, towards some rationale that would ultimately present itself to me.

I sniffed the air suspiciously but Carlisle's scent was pure, nothing alerted me to a trap. It would be okay. I'd swim with Carlisle and then head home to Rosalie, the humans…I could resist them. I just had to concentrate and not smell. Concentrate on Carlisle. We would swim and he wouldn't suspect anything. I'd just wait, not now, he was lethal on land, but once we were in the water, when his mind would be elsewhere; then I'd….I'd know what to do.

* * *

Carlisle's POV

I could hear Emmett's soft footsteps behind me. The softening of his expression when I'd suggested a swim made me comfortable enough to turn my back on him and suspected it would ease his suspicion of my motivations. Having Edward safely out of the picture gave me more options when dealing with Emmett who had very nearly injured his unsuspecting brother. Edward's scent had dissipated. He was not lurking in the trees. Now would be the time. My only dilemma was defusing the already volatile situation. Emmett was antagonized first with the scent of humans, than Edward's unguarded attacks and finally my unexpected presence. I had no choice but to expose myself as the threat I was in order to get Emmett to focus on me, distracting him from the fury he felt over Edward's interference.

A swim seemed a good way to defuse the situation. As I ran to our favorite location of the river for what was usually a relaxing pastime, I stripped off my clothes, hoping Emmett would follow suit. The situation with Emmett would end today. It was too dangerous, his outrageous mood swings too aggressive, especially for Edward who didn't understand the peril he was in with each encounter he had with his brother.

I dived into the lukewarm water, my naked marble flesh offering no resistance and my strokes propelled me upstream against the current, leading Emmett as far away from the unsuspecting family of humans that had had the misfortune of stopping along this particular part of the river for a summer day outing. Relief washed over me as I heard Emmett slice through the water behind me, his powerful strokes thrusting him forward so he was only yards behind me.

It occurred to me that Emmett might have seen the advantage to this swim himself and be setting me up for his own attack. I would have to be cautious. Unlike me, Emmett would be relying entirely on instinct. He did not know what drove him, what need burned in him, what role he had to play. He would not understand that to relieve this urge, this need almost as strong as his need to feed, he would have to give himself to the primitive beast that raged under his human façade and forcibly subdue me.

I too, had no experience, but I did know what awaited me, what awaited him. My time with the Volturi was not just about literature and pursing the arts and sciences. My knowledge was vast; decade's worth of witnessing first hand, the inner workings of the most powerful vampire coven in the world had prepared me. But there was one incident that I would focus on above all others, the one that most closely resembled what I would be facing with Emmett now.

The occasion was as clear in my vampire brain as if it had taken place yesterday rather than two hundred years ago. Aro had a young vampire, a vampire blessed with the amazing gift of strength. The vampire, Felix, had been with the Volturi for over a decade and had moved up the ranks quickly with his obedience and loyalty. He was rather uneducated and certainly didn't appreciate the vast libraries and tremendous historical resources at his fingertips. I'd found him to be rather dense and uninteresting, his apparent pleasure and skill in decapitation rather distasteful and I seldom had any interaction with him.

As his attention began to wander and he started spending more and more time away from Volterra, pursuing interests outside of those of the brothers and the guard, Aro's worry that he would lose the brute, forced him to intercede in what would normally have been a natural if not instinctual occurrence. As was with me, Aro began enticing the young vampire with females, other members of the guard, guests of the Volturi. But unlike me who knew of Aro's motivatioins, the young vampire quickly fell under their spell and was lured in by their feminine wiles.

As with all vampires, once sexually active, he could be bent to the will of the coven master or in this case coven masters, and though he always had the option to leave, his will would no longer be his own. That was assuming that one of the brothers could couple with him. Because though the brothers were afforded an array of protection from their gifted vampires, they could not utilize those resources and had to act of their own volition; they had to interact directly with their subject. Aside from the physical danger, there was always a risk that tables would be turned and the brother would be mounted and forced to submit. The beauty of having three males ruling a coven, unheard outside of the world of Volterra was that the other two brothers could and would intervene either to force the submission themselves or kill the unlucky vampire that successfully mounted the third brother.

In this case, because of the young one's superior strength, Aro and Caius took him together. Felix had become increasing aggressive and confrontational. The other vampires scurried away from him when he entered the room. Only Jane and to a lesser extent Alec had little to fear from him.

Aro lured him with his hypnotizing magnetism into a deserted wing of the castle. Other than me, Caius and some unsuspecting historians, the room was vacant of the usual guards. The situation would be violent and interference by any of the guard would negate the influences of the brothers and could align Felix with the wrong vampire.

I, in my curiosity did not leave as the other vampires scattered. I was oblivious to the odd scents that infiltrated the room. Of course I'd heard allusions to the brothers coupling with their subordinates, but this was the first time I'd viewed it firsthand. My senses were not attuned to the changing atmosphere, the tensions, the unusual posturing of the brothers and their tolerance of the young vampire's aggressiveness much to my amazement. The only senses I could rely on was my eyes and I was captivated as Aro, for the first time in my presence, assumed an aggressive crouch with Felix mimicking his actions. The air was thick with lust, both the brothers and Felix exuding the musty odor, as I, confused by the smells, slid back behind a tapestry, my curiosity at the encounter holding more pull then my unease and confusion.

With a subtle bob of his head, Aro instigated the perception of attack, which brought Felix forward with a roar of rage. But it was never Aro's intention to pursue an assault, and he caught Felix by the throat lifting him up, letting the outraged vampire clamp his massive hands on to him as Caius, with speed that I didn't know one of the ancient ones possessed, stripped free of his robes and under garments and wrapped himself around the unsuspecting Felix as he grappled with Aro. In a practiced action so quick, I almost missed it; Caius had stripped Felix of his breeches and proceeded to thrust against Felix's exposed back side in what I could only describe as a sexual act.

Having no experienced myself, I still was no stranger to the act of intercourse. The Volturi castle offered some privacy for those that choose to seek it, but sexual encounters were not necessarily perceived to be a private act and on more than one occasion I'd stumbled across a coupling, my senses warning me of the encounter even as their lack of discretion and my immense curiosity didn't steer me away from the viewing of it.

But this was different. As Caius thrust forward, effectively securing the young vampire under him with his penetration, forcing him down, the now forgotten Aro slipped free of his grasp. I could see little in this act that represented the playful trysts between young lovers. This was about power, control and the conquest of a dominate vampire over another. I could feel Felix's concession as he pressed himself back against his master, his desire to submit obvious in his posturing and whimpers and whines as Caius, no longer fearing for his safety, used the powerful vampire beneath him seeking his release. If not for the rapt look of pleasure on both participants face, I would have concluded that this act was functionary and emotionless, another form of punishment committed by the male organ rather than teeth or the ripping of a limb from a body.

So absorbed in the spectacle before me, I barely noticed Aro as he moved away from the coupling and only with effort did I look up and find him staring at me, a slight smile on his face. I understood in that moment that Aro's perceived acts of kindness in finding me a mate, throwing one young female after another in my path, had little to do with my sexual well being and everything to do with his desire to secure me under his rule. It would be the catalyst for my leaving Volterra, that and the unrelenting pressures to feed on humans. I feared that if I ever fell under Aro's control, it wouldn't be long before I would lose control of my bloodlust, influenced by my masters to submit to their feeding habits.

Now, as I felt Emmett, slicing through the water behind me, I would use what I witnessed with Felix to control that massive boy who in pure strength had no equal in our family and outside of Felix was the strongest vampire I knew. I could not smell underwater, so Emmett's intentions did not immediately reveal themselves, but I was prepared when I felt his fingers lock on my ankle, pulling me too him.

Twisting in the water, I brought my knee up catching him in the chest with a hard blow. His grip around my ankle loosened and with my freed foot, I delivered another hard kick that sent him up and out of the water. His roars reverberated from above me and I let myself sink to the bottom of the river, my feet settling on the rocky riverbed. I saw Emmett dive back down towards me and just as he appeared ready to wrap his arms around me, I thrust upward and forward with such force I flew several feet above the water's surface myself, offering me a brief opportunity to survey my surroundings before crashing back down into the water again.

We were at a narrow part of the river, the current strong and the river bank steep. Huge trees hung over the water, there branches stretching out on either side, almost reaching across to the other. The setting was ideal for what I had planned.

Because we could not smell underwater, I was offered a reprieve from Emmett's immediate attack and again allowed myself to sink to the bottom. Securing my footing against some boulders, I peered into the water around me and after a moment, I saw Emmett, his face contorted in a fit of rage, his eyes black, his teeth pulled back in a muffled growl that I could hear rumbling through the water. He anticipated incorrectly that I would shoot towards the surface again, but just as I was ready to spring up, I pulled down and he overshot me, his body angling upward anticipating my thrust towards the surface. I slide behind him and sprung, breaking the surface of the water again, but this time I knew what to expect and grappled for a tree branch throwing my body around it, and pulling myself up.

I saw him break the surface of the water and for the first time scent played a role in this encounter. His was as I remembered from the day in the den, heavy and dank, his desire manifesting itself in the air around us. I was not surprised by the draw it had and did not fight the reaction of my body to it. I felt the tightening in my loins as the venom flooded my organ. He on the other hand had no such experience with this potent odor. Any familiarity through my couplings with Esme was overpowered by a more pungent smell of all consuming lust, born of power and dominance.

Given a respite from his need to attack me, he slung his head back letting my odor wash over him, sucking it in through his nose and mouth, the aroma alluring to him in a way that would rival the scent of any human. In fact I was fairly certain that if that little family came floating by in a rowboat at that moment, Emmett would be oblivious to them so overcome by the powerful instinctual draw of my lust. It was calling to him, demanding a reckoning in one form or another. The outcome not yet decided but the anticipation of it dominating all of his thoughts.

The Volturi brothers had the unique gift of control and could ward off and even expel the intoxicating odor until they were in a position to utilize it to its fullest potential. I had no such gift, my need, my desire rolled off me in wave after wave; it's potency obvious in Emmett's reaction to it. I too, was being drawn to his scent, my mouth filling with venom again and again as I fought the urge to drop from my perch in a futile attempt to take him in the water. Hearing about it, witnessing it, had not prepared me for the draw of it and I felt as inexperienced as Emmett, despite all my years of study and introspective on this odd idiosyncrasy of our species.

With some effort I struggled to focus and ran along the tree branch towards the steep river bank. Emmett too, struggling under the effects of our mutual lust, shook himself of the trancelike state he was in and seeing my destination, he swam to the shore in seconds, his hands gripping the rocky protrusions that hung over the water.

I tried to focus on the brother's taking of Felix. I didn't have a co-leader in my family, so I would have distract Emmett another way. I stood in the crook of the tree branch, willing Emmett to move closer and as he struggled with the steep embankment, his growls growing with frustration and need, I sprung from my perch. My mark was off, and I landed short of him, but as I anticipate, it didn't matter. His hands were firmly wrapped around an exposed tree root, and fearing he'd put himself in an even more perilous position he was hesitate to let go of it and fall back into the river. His hands were otherwise occupied, just as Felix's had been when he gripped Aro, leaving me free to spring on his unprotected back.

A growl ripped from my lips as I landed on him, my arm wrapping around his neck in a choke hold, my teeth snapping the air next to his ear. I needed to let myself go to the animal within me, let it take over, guide me, empower me and I sucked in another whiff of the delectable scented stink as I felt us fall through the air, Emmett letting go, but too late to detach me before we hit the water.

The river's current drew us in, our bodies churned in the turbulent water, rolling us at its whim, Emmett trying to break free as I clung to the wild bucking beast beneath me refusing to relinquish my grip on him. Because of my dominate position, the water proved more of a hindrance to the powerful young vampire under me. He could not use the scents from our bodies to drive his need. He was weakening even as he felt me slither down his body, my engorged manhood sliding along his back, between his buttocks, my body already thrusting with its need.

His mistake came when he let us drift to the bottom of the river. His intent was to mimic my actions of earlier and use it to propel himself up and out of the water. But what he failed to realize was that I too could use the foothold to my advantage and as my feet touched the ground I used the leverage and thrust up feeling myself sinking into him, his body taking all of me as he'd bent and squatted, preparing to spring.

In that moment, everything changed. I felt it, felt the sagging of his body, the expulsion of whatever unneeded air he was holding in his lungs and I struggled to control both our bodies as his momentarily went slack. Another thrust and I felt a moan bubble from my lips, my desire to use him was only placated by my need to get him to the surface. A watery coupling was not what I had in mind. Emmett appeared to feel the same as the next time his feet touched a flat surface he sprung up, bringing me with him. He wasn't completely under my control, snarling as we broke from the water.

I still held him around the neck and now I was impaled in him, but he was not ready to submit, his arms were reaching back, trying to pull my body from him as he staggered from the water our movement downstream carrying us to a more gradual incline, a more suitable place for this coupling. I used his momentum and urged him forward, his body collapsing under me in a heap. His struggles to throw me off were muted as once again we were assaulted by the scents that seeped from our bodies.

The difference was hardly perceptible, but I felt it, noticed it at once and I suspected Emmett did as well. As my lust became the encompassment of power and dominance, his changed, sweetened, conceded. I sucked it in hungrily, that tantalizing aroma feeding my own desires and I began thrusting with my need. The feeling was overwhelming, never had I experienced such pure raw power, such a desire to dominate, such a need to control another being. Now I understood it, understood everything that had been so foreign to me so many years ago when as young vampire, I'd never imagined such overpowering urges could not only exist, but rule me.

Even my mating with Esme, delightful and decadent in its sweetness and love did not match this uncontrollable urge I had to fill Emmett with my venom, make him submit to my desire, concede to my power. Each stroke brought a grunt from my lips, each withdrawal, a growl. I had an urge to bite, saw the exposed flesh under me and swallowed back the venom again and again. I could resist it unless he fought me. I allowed my teeth to graze along his neck, his shoulder, warning him of the danger I pose to him. He shuddered beneath me perhaps in fear, but there was something else, another need taking hold of him, presenting itself to me in his whines of concession, his whimpers of submission and finally his groans of pleasure.

Gradually, my grip around his neck loosened and I sat back, letting his body dictate the depth of penetration from my organ. I arranged him to better satisfy me; pushing his head down, pulling his hips back against me, my fingers digging into his flesh with each thrust, forcing us up the embankment with the power behind my strokes. I felt his muscles working around me, milking me and this new sensation, caused ripple after ripple of delighted purrs to rumble from my lips. The feeling was amazing. Not just the sensation of my organ being stroked and kneaded, but the pure animalistic sensation of having another give himself so fully, especially one of Emmett's strength. Never had I desired to control another being in the manner that I controlled him. It was intoxicating, exhilarating and as the tempo of my thrusts increased, I felt Emmett shudder under me, his own hips thrusting into the ground as he sought his release, the smell of his venom as it spilled into the earth burning my nostrils.

It was too much, and with a final growl of pleasure and uncontrollably need, I sunk my teeth into his shoulder, my body trembling at the sounds of his whimpers and I buried myself into him as deeply as I was capable, feeling the pent up release of my icy semen burst forth in a fountain of unequivocal pleasure. He continued to wither under me, pain from my bite and pleasure from my venom that acted as a drug even upon its release, leaving its living receptacle shuddering in delight long after the sexual act was over.

We lay as we were for some time after the expulsion of our seed. I felt no great urge to relinquish my position and Emmett was too pacified to make an attempt to dislodge me. Tenderly I tended to the bite I'd inflicted on Emmett's shoulder. He would be marked by me for all time.

I was still too in awe over the experience to offer much in the way of conversation. Nothing, I'd seen in Volterra had prepared me for what I'd just experienced. I had an idea, a contemplation of what it involved, but the emotional toil, the utter change in my outlook on this instinctual side of our animalistic nature was profound. It had awakened something in me that I never knew existed until that moment.

I considered Edward and his lack of mate and felt a disappointment that I couldn't extend this pleasure to him, take my pleasure from him and it made me feel a little bit guilty, a little bit too much like Aro, as I understood now why he had tried so hard to get me to take a mate or at least couple with another female. Edward could always leave me, I would always be at the mercy of his whims, but Emmett was mine, would be for all time, unless he could find it in himself to challenge me again. And as the master of the coven, as the father of this family, it put me at ease knowing that Emmett would not abruptly leave me, not as long as I held this influence over him which meant Rosalie wasn't going anywhere either. Only Edward could stray and in my selfishness, I now knew of a way to keep that from happening.

Eventually I withdrew from Emmett; my organ ached after suffering through the onslaught of our bodies but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. I felt and fought down the desire to take him again and instead pulled him to his feet.

"Are you alright son?" I asked gruffly, my voice thick with emotion.

"Hell yeah." Emmett replied, but his voice was barely a whisper, his eyes darting away from mine.

"I know you're confused son and to be honest, I'm not sure I can provide you with all the answers you seek, but we will talk about this later. I'll tell you everything you need to know that might help you understand what just happened." I placed my hand on his shoulder, trying to will him to look at me, but it was too soon for that. Emmett would need to come to terms with these new emotions and feelings that were not part of his original makeup in order to better accept his role within the family.

"Come, let's get dressed. I'm sure Edward is beside himself with worry which can't be doing much to put Esme and Rosalie at ease."

We made our way home slowly. I initiated the conversation of his bloodlust and the near miss with the humans, my foremost concern now that I had subdued him.

"Emmett, if you don't feel you can control yourself, you can only hunt when I'm present which means longer spells between hunting trips. My shift at the hospital limits the time I can get out and hunt."

Emmett stopped abruptly and though he didn't quite meet my eyes, his head was up looking vaguely in my direction.

"That was a mistake, it wasn't just the smell. I can control my attraction to the smell. I've done it in the past and the humans were a lot closer. I just wanted to….to hunt humans…because…." His voice trailed off and he ducked his head again.

"Because you were defying me." I finished for him.

He nodded. "It won't happen again."

"Emmett, don't feel ashamed if you are having trouble. It took Esme two years before she felt she could control herself around human scents. Don't be afraid to ask for my help. I would rather that, than have to move again, and I'm sure Edward would make your life miserable if he was forced to give up his classes." A thought occurred to me and I chuckled. "So if you truly want to find a way to antagonize your brother, let it be anything but that."

He nodded again and smiled briefly, both of us contemplating Edward's reaction to a request to transfer colleges, again. But as we approached the house our mood turned somber.

"Emmett, Esme knows what is coming, she understands what happened. I explained it to her as best I could, but Edward and Rosalie, especially Edward, will not. You can tell your mate, your wife anything you wish. She will draw from her instincts and pick up on our scents so explaining to her should be fairly simple, but leave Edward to me and guard your thoughts. I doubt he will question you about it anyway."

I could see my wife in the window of our unused dining room and the moment she saw us, she disappeared and emerged from the front door, her hand pressed against her lips.

As she approached I saw the pensive look on her face as she glanced from me to Emmett and back again, her eyes looking questionably into mine, searching for answers that should be obvious in our smells and posture. I refrained from commenting and in a visible transformation from human to vampire, I saw her nostrils flair, her eyes flutter as she took in the scents of our bodies, the telltale sign of what transpired between me and her son less than an hour before.

Observing my wife and gauging her reaction to a motionless Emmett, I missed the rapid approach of Edward. He too must have been watching for our approach and I vaguely wondered if he'd hidden himself in the woods downwind from us, and watched me force submission from his brother. His eyes were curious, he was reading Emmett's thoughts, or what there was of them; he would get nothing from me. His eyes widened as he too picked up the unusual odor, the dulling stench of the aftermath of our lust, not like the smell he was familiar with signifying the coupling of us with our mates. I anticipated his questions, but his wariness made me wonder if he would pursue it. Instinctually he would recognize something had occurred between us but putting it into words was not easily done.

"Rosalie is upstairs Emmett, she's waiting for you." My wife spoke softly, her hand tentatively touching his face.

He shifted, his posture suggesting permission to be released and when I nodded my consent, he darted from the three of us to the comfort and waiting arms of his mate. Rosalie would not be a problem for me. Females never were.

I held out my arm to my wife and she snuggled under it, her relief evident in her shy smile. "How about a swim sweetheart? It's a beautiful day."

She nodded and glanced at Edward. My son's ability to read minds could be challenging, but on this day, I counted my blessings as he glanced at me smiled a little, then shook his head. "No, I think I'll give the two of you your privacy." He turned and ran to the house before Esme could try and cajole him into joining us.

"He spends too much time alone Carlisle." She sighed.

"Don't worry, my darling. He won't be alone forever. One day he will find her, hopefully very soon." It couldn't come soon enough for me.

* * *

**Author notes: **_For those that are wondering why I didn't include more insight from Emmett. I can only say that I've never had a tight bond with him as a character so it's hard for me to speak for him._

_Originally Submit was to be a Carlisle/Edward oneshot only, but if I can come up with original ideas I will try to add additional oneshots. Next one will be Carlisle/Jasper._


	4. Savior

**_DISCLAIMER: SM owns all Twilight characters and settings. No copyright infringement intended._**

**_WARNING: Contains sexual graphic scenes of dominant/submissive behaviors. Carlisle/Jasper Slash._**

* * *

_Spring 1951_

**Jasper's POV**

Three male vampires living peaceably in an established coven? I would never have thought it possible until, against my better judgment I allowed my mate to convince me that this coven would be ours, we would be welcomed and become part of this unusual…family.

So here I was, wondering how I got here, how I could have been so far off in my estimation of what was possible and what was not. How completely ignorant I'd been in my assumptions that we were ruled by the laws of nature, our instincts could not be defied, our humanness no longer dictating how we behaved, bows towards civility an afterthought no longer afforded us.

Every day I existed as part of Maria's coven had been a lie. Every piece of information I'd gathered, everything I thought I knew about myself and others of our kind, none of it proved true, at least not as long as I'd been associated with the Cullens; the use of the surname as foreign to me as feeding from animals, something I still hadn't completely embraced.

And now I was the forth male in this coven, three of us mated and it worked. Not possible if I thought to consider my days with the newborns; Maria's creations, my duty to control them and the volatile day to day existence I'd lived, understanding that a simple disagreement could turn deadly. And that didn't even involved the sexually active ones, a natural evolution that Maria hadn't foreseen. It had been my duty to dominate those in the most primitive of methods, taking control of them as dictated by our species, destroying them if they could not be forced to submit.

I understood that within this unique coven at least that part of our nature still dictated behavior between the coven leader and his subordinates and this offered me the tiniest amount of comfort giving me something to relate to. The master, Carlisle, had control over the brute of a male, Emmett as a coven leader should. I could see it in the submissive posturing, the avoidance of eye contact, the lack of aggression that Emmett displayed when in the presence Carlisle and I relished this familiar behavior as evidence of my belief that our primitive self wasn't all a misinterpretation of my own past experiences and my actions that resulted in the deaths of countless newborns at my hands.

The other one, Edward, displayed no such deference to the coven leader's whims and this too made sense. He was still unmated, had no sexual experience and his behavior was that of my newly turned newborns, defiant but not driven by instinct to challenge the alpha male.

I came into this family with my emotions held tightly in check, my instinctual desires locked down. Nothing was more important to me than Alice's happiness and safety. The former was obvious. Her joy was evident from the first moment she led us to the Cullens, greeting them like her family throwing her arms around a startled Carlisle and a frightened Esme. She roared into their lives much as she'd done mine, her assumption that she belonged never in question, her confidence that she was wanted and loved completely evident. And with Alice, came me, we could not be separated so I too became a part of the Cullen family. I was accepted as Alice's mate, so it would go without saying that where she was, I would also be.

I did not need my gift to gauge the emotions of the others in my presence. The scars on my body told my story and I radiated danger in every respect. But to his credit, Carlisle welcomed me like a long lost son, encouraging the rest to do the same, leading by his actions. I had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, for any of us to put aside an instinctual wariness from an obvious source of danger simply at the request and by example of the coven leader, spoke volumes for his control over them. But it also suggested a weakness in the leader himself that he would be so quick to welcome a stranger who might pose a threat to those he was responsible for. I withheld judgment in lieu of Alice's happiness, but the warrior in me was worried that the next visitor Carlisle welcomed might be truly dangerous and so I was not completely confident in Alice's safety.

As the days turned to weeks and the weeks to months I gradually settled in with this unusual family. I still held myself in check, was always in control and through the guidance of the others I was able to find some humanness that kept me from lashing out and resorting to the brutality of my past to right a perceived transgression or implied threat by one of the others. I watched Carlisle closely, always looking for a weakness, a sign that he could be taken down, not necessarily by me, but the other one, Emmett or even a powerful nomad that might happen upon our coven and attempt to overtake the leader and steal what Carlisle had so carefully built.

I knew some of my paranoia, most in fact, stemmed from my past. Covens in the North were less likely to fight over territory and any battles that might ensue were usually the result of old rivalries or disputes that had built up over time and only a chance encounter might lead to an all out battle. Carlisle appeared to have few if any enemies so any threats from the past appeared unlikely. I'd never considered a peaceable nature to be strength, but where Carlisle was concerned, it obviously was. Still, I had my concerns, especially over Edward, who could easily mate and turn on his master, upsetting the fragile hierarchy that existed through the leadership of the kind, unassuming, unthreatening nature that was Carlisle.

Unbeknownst to him, I'd begun testing Emmett, his lack of knowledge allowed most of my antics to go undetected. A more experienced male would have understood that I was pressing him to gauge his strength, assess what threat he was to me and more importantly appraise whether he was worthy of his rank.

Initially I challenged him on hunts which would not draw his attention as we were all protective of our prey, even the females. Edward was always the fastest, his speed was without rival and he could always be expected to bring down the biggest and the best kill. Should he ever mate, this would give him a significant advantage over the rest of us. His prowess in the hunt alluding to the ability to provide for others, the natural leader as defined by our animalistic makeup. But Edward wasn't my concern; it was Emmett's strength that challenged me. He knew he was stronger than any of us and he displayed his power whenever he had the opportunity, but I was quicker and more experienced and I used my skills as much as he used his, creating a standoff between us.

His emotions fluctuated between a playful rowdiness and a need to control me, the newcomer, the strange invader. I was the disruption to the coven that had coexisted peaceably for years. His desire to establish himself as the beta by the shear length of his relationship with Carlisle was commonplace among our kind. It was always the newcomer that had to work his way up.

It wasn't until we hunted alone one evening, far from the invading ears of the family and the formidable tool of Edward's mind that I felt comfortable truly challenging him. We'd taken to wrestling when Esme wasn't within earshot and after feeding on unappetizing deer we were hot on the scent of a single black bear that was Emmett's favorite. I had no strong interest in the animal's blood, they all tasted the same to me, but pursing it gave me the opportunity to challenge Emmett on more than just a playful level, a style he adapted, no matter how aggressive I became.

I caught him before he had the chance to bring the bear down and his fury overrode his normally buoyant disposition. To say I was unprepared for his brutal strength was an understatement and when he threw me off with no more deference then a horse to an irritating fly, I knew that I'd sorely miscalculated his abilities and whatever half hearted challenges I'd presented in the past were quickly invalidated by his adept response. Stopping the momentum of my tumble, I was ill-prepared to handle his true strength as he caught me in the midsection driving me backward. He was under the primordial control of his instincts now and there would be no turning back.

My skill as a fighter and decade's worth of experience with newborns who were vastly stronger than Emmett, gave the advantage to me, but Emmett was not a newborn, he would not fight with mindless fury and he was sly enough to calculate that he had the advantage, not letting up, his legs churning into the ground driving me back eventually toppling me over a deep ravine. Held down under the power of his massive hands, I couldn't move and Emmett, sensing a victory that wasn't his to take, thrust against me, the pungent smell of his lust, burning my nostrils.

Though instincts drove us, the uninitiated and inexperienced seldom succeeded in their first attempts at penetration. There were too many variables to consider and a young one wouldn't understand the ramifications of an action that might tilt the advantage in favor of their opponent. Emmett was no exception. He'd done nothing to subdue me, he was only trying to exploit the strength he had over me at that particularly moment and thought it was possible through physical strength alone. And by not securing me face down, he was completely exposed to my own formidable weapons, namely my teeth.

His ignorance was due in part to his delight in mock wrestling with Edward. It had not prepared him for the true danger in engaging another male in a battle for dominance. Edward, though quite capable as a wrestling companion and perhaps even in a true battle given his gift, exuded none of the odors that influenced those in the struggle to determine rank within a coven and because of Esme's concerns, visible wounds were seldom inflicted.

I took full advantage of his mistake sinking my teeth into the flesh just under his larynx, the bite itself not lethal, but it would be the first step in decapitation if I choose to proceed. With a roar of pain and rage, Emmett propelled himself backward and I drove into him, never relaxing my bite, forcing him on his back, straddling him with his arms pinned at his sides, my warning growl rumbling uncontrollably from my chest and now it was I that reeked of the odor of my dominance. I suspected that Emmett was quite capable of breaking the grip on his arms which would leave me vulnerable, but I sensed in him a softening, a lack of motivation, a willingness to concede to me and though I'd run across it before, I was astounded all the same. It wasn't often that rank was decided through conscious thought yet that was what Emmett seemed to be offering; his concession to me without a mounting.

If it were a trick, it would be a very clever one, as we were not generally inclined to calculate a potential outcome during the act of establishing dominance. I released the death grip I had on his throat and with it, my arousal subsided, leaving me somewhat confident that I was judging the situation correctly as that particular apparatus did not normally respond so passively to the possibility of penetrating the tight flesh of a submissive.

I sprung up and away from him, feeling confident that I could take him down again if I'd misjudged his intentions, but as he stood rubbing his throat, he smiled in a lopsided grin and held up his hands.

"You win."

And with those words another member of this mysterious Cullen family shocked me with his civility and control.

* * *

It wasn't until later, back at the house with Esme's cries of dismay upon seeing the bite mark on Emmett's neck and Edward's suspicious pacing, keeping himself between Esme and Rosalie who hissed at me whenever I looked at her mate, that I realized what I'd done. Had I risked Alice's chance at a happy life that had been so long denied her in my attempt to keep her safe? Why had I felt a need to fight for rank when there had been nothing that alluded to danger?

Would I be forced out? Alice would come with me, but then what would we do? From the moment she found me, the Cullens were all she talked about. I'd risked it all by letting my experiences from my past; the suspicion, mistrust and rage provoking me into making an unforgivable mistake. Who was I to question the workings of a coven I'd only recently become a part of and why couldn't I control myself as they appeared to be able to. Why did I always have to revert to the animal that was always there lurking behind my human façade?

But my grievous actions, not justifiable in my own mind, just another example of my monstrous past, were greeted with raised eyebrows upon Carlisle's return and a slight nod of understanding in my direction. Esme had run to intercept him as his shift at the hospital ended, so the entire sordid affair as she understood it had already been relayed to Carlisle. But upon their return, I was surprised to see Esme smile hesitantly at me and when Carlisle followed her in, there was no anger in his eyes. Instead he examined the wound on Emmett's neck, almost healed from Rosalie's venom and then he did the oddest thing.

Holding Emmett firmly by the shoulder, he sucked in the air around him, his nostrils flaring his mouth opening, absorbing whatever odors he anticipated would exude from Emmett's body. Finding nothing unusual, he turned to me with a quizzical look on his face, then to Emmett who looked equally baffled and back to me again.

I knew then that he was looking for the telltale signs of my dominance. The odor of my desire that would still linger on Emmett, the remains of my venom that would still be inside him, the sign that I'd taken him, dominated him, and now owned him in a way. Carlisle's confusion, eased my own trepidation that the Cullens were a different breed of vampire, one that I could never hope to emulate or understand. He too was surprised that it didn't take a physical act of penetration for Emmett to concede to me, yet concede he did, because even as I looked at Emmett, his eyes shot away, his physical presence was mollified and he seemed uncomfortable with my scrutiny.

"Interesting." Was the only words Carlisle spoke on the subject and with that my place in the family was that much more secure, I was one step closer to Carlisle and though I knew what inevitably would happen, I spent months fighting it hoping upon hope that it would not be me that would radically change the dynamics within the family.

* * *

**Carlisle's POV**

Jasper was an enigma to me. From the moment he arrived with Alice on our doorstep, I'd been intrigued by the complex nature of his psyche. Our human history, our upbringing as a newborn, our travels through time could almost assuredly dictate the nature of our personality; the depth or our compassion, the level of our brutality and all other emotions that were once human. But conflicts remained; we were all driven by vampire instincts and how these instincts manifested themselves was governed by that personality.

That was not true of Jasper. He was raised as a savage, a monster from the moment of his turning and had the scars to attest to his violent past. He was suspicious, predatory, distrusting and untamed, but by the same token, he appeared loving, thoughtful, educated and civilized. He was a gentleman without Edward's refinement. A fighter without Emmett's thrill for the battle. A leader of men and vampires, but did not seek to lead, remaining politely in the background, trying not to draw attention to himself.

Where Alice burst into our lives with the enthusiasm of a child, Jasper was reserved beyond his years, reminding me of an old man who'd seen and done much in life and now was satisfied to just watch those around him live, his time already come and gone.

Initially I was skeptical of his ability to fit in and refrain from feeding off of humans. His will to adapt to a life that denied him much of the benefits that came with being a vampire would be challenged given that he only retained minimal amount of human memories and his entire vampire existence was of war, torture and death. I did not anticipate success. I tried to prepare Esme for Jasper's failure, his inability to integrate into our life style, but she wouldn't hear of it, too attached to Alice, refusing to accept that if Jasper went Alice would follow.

Alternatively, I ran through every scenario, every possibility, every logical option that would keep them with us but allow Jasper an outlet for his _needs_. In the end, I could only rely on Jasper himself to find his way, realizing that any concession that would result in the death of humans would make a mockery of the very foundation that this family was built on.

And so it was as I watched my newest son struggle, his misery radiating off of him as he tried to feed exclusively off of animals, tried to blend into the human population ignoring the scent that called to him, that he hungered for, pretending he understood what it was to a be a brother and son, refraining from resorting to the more violent tendencies of his former coven when he felt threatened or challenged. And he did it all for Alice, only Alice, but I wasn't sure if would be enough and in light of his failure I wondered what toll would be taken on this vivacious girl that we'd come to love.

In the ensuing months I remained hopeful. He seemed to find Edward and Emmett's relationship fascinating; their ability to wrestle playfully entirely foreign to him. Emmett particularly appeared to put him at ease and he began to roughhouse with his massive brother understanding the meaning of restraint when things got aggressive triggering his instinctual need to defend himself.

His ravenous need to read, quickly created a kinship with me and I helped him discover books, particularly those on history and more specifically the history of the civil war. His memories of this dark period in his human life were almost nonexistent but he understood the significance that period had played in shaping him into the vampire he was now, frozen during the heart of the war, all the trials and tribulations, the nightmare and pain that came with being a confederate soldier a part of him forever. And so it was through the history of that period that he sought to find himself.

His relationship with Esme and Rosalie was contention only in that he could not relate to any type of female interaction that didn't involve Alice. His experience with female vampires before Alice was abysmal and he had all he could do to let his guard down around them. This pained Esme, but I could only encourage her patience, hopeful that his aversion to females would not be part of his makeup for all time. He was always cordial, always gentlemanly, but beyond that, he offered no reaction or response to Esme's kind words and mothering tendencies.

Despite my concerns I was unprepared the day Esme greeted me at the hospital, having run several miles, meeting me as my shift ended. Anticipating the worst, I tried not to react to her words of a fight between Jasper and Emmett, a severe bite inflicted on the latter. Had the wall crumbled? Was this the beginning of the end for Jasper? Would it only escalate from here?

But as I listened to Esme convey her understanding of what transpired between the two, what ever feelings of dread I anticipated would follow, quickly evaporated. If Esme's description was accurate, their fight was a battle for rank, a confrontation to establish dominance and Jasper was the apparent victor if one could call it that as there was no winners and losers only the shuffling of rank to make the coven stronger.

I shouldn't have been surprised. Edward had alluded to a coming confrontation though he didn't understand of which he spoke. He could only explain Jasper's thoughts in terms of how he saw them; it was up to me to interpret the meaning. Perhaps I was taken off guard because of Jasper's buttoned up nature. He displayed no outward signs of a desire to be anything other than what I could only define as the omega of the coven. No matter how much he was provoked, he'd refused to rise to the bait and it offered Emmett endless amounts of entertainment.

Yet I was rankled that I hadn't looked beyond the obvious and understood that it was unlikely that Jasper wouldn't at least attempt to establish himself. He would go after the lower ranking males first and would ultimately challenge me. It was inevitable. But despite the violence that transpired I was heartened that Jasper apparently took the initiative to establish himself. It suggested a willingness to join our family which I hadn't seen from him before.

The bite itself would not be the indication of who took who. Physical injuries had no significance in determining rank. The dominate ranking vampire could be severely injured yet still establish himself over the other. Their disposition and the odors that permeated from them would tell me everything I needed to know. I did not relay any of my suspicions about the fight to Esme, though I might have considered her lack of commentary on the odors that should have enlighten her on the true nature of the confrontation. My assumption that Jasper was now essentially the beta in the family had more to do with Esme's description of a docile Emmett and docile was hardly the word I would associate with him.

If I'd been so blind to the signs of Jasper's intentions which were unlikely to be spontaneous, perhaps I needed to look more closely at how he behaved around me. Could it be that his reserved nature was a guise to lull his opponents into complacency? It was probable that he would make an attempt to challenge me. It wasn't his fault, he couldn't help it, but it could do much to destroy this family if he were successful. Jasper as a coven leader with only a few months in this new life would revert back to the only experience he had from the southern covens. I could not let that happen and I could not let Esme see that I was worried about further confrontations. Instead I reminded her of our way, explaining that males would fight amongst themselves and that was most likely the reason for their fight. Given Emmett's disposition, it was likely that it had been Jasper that had mounted Emmett and the only one that we had to worry about would be Rosalie who wouldn't be appreciative of this newcomer's infliction of an injury on her mate.

Upon returning to the house I was confronted with a wide range of emotions. Jasper was reserved, unsure of my reaction appearing confused by Esme's friendly demeanor. Edward was suspicious and prowled around the room; he was reading the thoughts of the others, no doubt confused by them, unable to relate to what he could not hope to understand. Emmett, was as I would expect after being mounted; docile, non-confrontational, resigned. His bite wound, though severe, was healing properly and needed no further attention from me.

So in order to complete the ritual that would allow the others to understand what had transpired, I pulled in the air around me surprised that Jasper's stench hadn't already filled the room, offering in that telltale odor, an explanation to Esme, Rosalie and perhaps even Alice who even through a first exposure would understand the significance of it. But I smelled nothing, other than then a slight scent of Jasper on Emmett's body. A quick look at Jasper confirmed that he understood my confusion, but there was no need for an explanation. It was rare, but Jasper had managed to establish his dominance without ever mounting Emmett. Would this damaged tortured soul never cease to fascinate me?

* * *

Now, weeks later, I contemplated that and Jasper's ever increasing struggles to conform. I needed no corroboration from him that he was suffering. The red glow of his eyes attested to that. The latest upheaval had occurred on a hunting trip. At my encouragement, Edward had joined Alice and Jasper. The explanation of the tragedy was short and without much detail. There'd been an accident, an injured women, Jasper smelling the aroma of freshly spilled blood could not resist its allure and neither Edward or Alice were close enough to stop him. They all returned home devastated. The human's car was dumped in a nearby river; her body was buried so she would never be found. When these rare accidents occurred there was little to do but clean up the mess. But it hit my family hard and Jasper the hardest. I felt I was losing him and with him would go Alice. I just couldn't bear to endure the pain it would cause Esme, a daughter lost; another child, no, two children gone for good.

Jasper approached me first with the suggestion he leave. It was too difficult, impossible for him to adhere to my values. He woefully suggested he would leave Alice behind, something that though admirably stood no chance of succeeding. He could not leave his mate. It was not an option even before we considered Alice, who would see his intention to leave her before he had the chance to sneak away. After discarding those plans, he'd slunk away in resignation, his pain evident not only through his carriage, but in the downturn of the emotions within my office. I felt his dependency and it weighed heavily on me.

But it was Alice that in the end showed me what had been staring me in the face all along. She did not dance in my room as she usually did, bubbling with overflowing enthusiasm that she couldn't wait to share. Instead she was solemn and thoughtful and a tad confused as she sat on the end of my desk swinging her legs deciding how to broach the subject that was heavy in both our hearts. It wasn't lost on me that she waited until the entire family was out of the house.

"I'm confused, Carlisle. I saw something and I don't understand it." She said hesitantly.

I settled back in my chair and clasped my fingers, giving her my full attention. Where Jasper and I shared much in the way of interests, Alice and I had little common ground and though I loved her dearly, this was the first time she sought me out without involving Esme. "What is it Alice?"

"I'm not sure how to explain it. I've been getting bits and pieces, random images. I think it's the same incident, but now, lately, the images are much clearer. It's most definitely going to happen and I'm…I'm…scared." Her voice broke and I immediately reached for her hand, gripping it in mine.

"Is this about Jasper? You can tell me Alice." I leaned forward, reaching my free hand out, lifting her chin to look at me.

She nodded, unable to say more.

"Do you want to wait until Edward gets home? He can see your visions and he can, for lack of a better word, transcribe them to me?"

She shook her head violently at that. "No. I can do this." She took a deep breath. "But Carlisle this isn't just about Jasper. It's about you too."

"Just say it Alice. Once I know what you see, I'll be able to help you."

"Carlisle, I think you will hurt him." The words came out in a rush. I had only enough time to gasp before she continued.

"You're fighting, chasing him, you get him down, your arm is around his neck, I can't see but you may be biting him and then you…then you…" Her voice broke.

"Ahhhh," I managed for her benefit. I didn't need to know more. I knew what Alice saw. The images I could see were horrifying to her, but for me, they gave me some sense of relief. She was witnessing my mounting of Jasper and that told me two things. Jasper would be around to challenge me for coven leadership and… he would fail.

"Alice, sweetheart, I know what you are seeing and let me say right now that I am not hurting Jasper, we are not fighting in the traditional sense." She was looking at me wide-eyed and completely confused. "You've never been a part of a coven before, but what you see is completely natural. If you ask Jasper he will tell you the same thing."

"No…no I can't ask Jasper. He'll runaway. He's so worried about controlling himself now. If he knows I'm seeing visions of the two of you fighting, he'll blame himself. I can't ask him…I can't…" She hiccupped out a sob and I stood, pulling her head to my chest.

"Alice…Alice…don't fret dear girl. I can explain everything to you."

"No!" She pulled from grasp and shot across the room lingering at the door. "I don't want to know, Carlisle. I don't want to know anything about it. Not from you."

I was hurt by her fear, but she viewed me now not as a father but as a vampire that threatened her mate. "Talk to Esme then. She will explain everything to you, what you can expect. Trust me when I say, things will be better afterward, better for Jasper."

And it was then that I had my epiphany. Jasper's inner demons, his struggles to adjust, his inability to relate to those he called his coven mates; I could help him with all of that, release him from his angst, shelter him from his pain, protect him from himself. The solution was so simple.

I smiled a little which was the wrong thing to do and Alice stormed out of the room, slamming doors as she went or if I was hearing correctly, tearing doors from the hinges as she went. She wouldn't have to seek Esme out; Esme would find her.

So I was back to contemplating Alice's visions. She'd obviously seen me take Jasper, mount him which bode well for any confrontation that we would have though as I was learning, her visions were not set in stone; the future could always change.

One thing I did understand was I could help Jasper in a way I'd not considered before. Once I took him, once he submitted to me, I could dictate his behavior. Not in the sense that I did with the girls or Edward, but truly control him, making it almost physically impossible for him to defy me. My powers would have limits. They would not override his bloodlust so I couldn't entirely keep him from feeding from humans if his instincts were triggered by a scent too powerful to resist. But I could keep him from actively hunting them. I could keep him from leaving if he failed to control himself and above all else, I could dictate his will as it pertained to adopting the values of my family that were so completely foreign to him.

I did not mention anything to Jasper about my conversation with his mate and I didn't need to talk to Esme to find out that Alice had sought her out; for the next time I saw Alice she was back to her old self and even offered me a dazzling smile. I wanted to quiz her about the timing of our confrontation and how confident she was in my success but understanding that too much information could be a hindrance and make me complacent, I refrained from satisfying my curiosity, wary that I would change the future by simply knowing about it.

Jasper's eyes remained a muddy red, his distaste for animal blood slowing the process that would change them back to ochre. He fed only when his eyes were black and his thirst was all consuming. This worried me. We often had humans come to the house, usually on the pretense of selling something, but occasionally we sought outside contractors and repairmen and there were always deliveries as traditional shopping could be problematic.

Edward wasn't helping the situation. He was reading Jasper's mind and confronting him when he saw Jasper stray from our path which put Jasper on the defensive. Their arguments and spats though entirely verbal were threatening to bubble over into something more. As I had worried when Emmett became increasingly hostile and aggressive, I now worried about Jasper. Edward's inability to understand the power of the instinctual pull to dominate and his lack of sympathy for Jasper's behavior could lead to a altercation that might hurt one or both of them. Jasper kept himself tightly reined in, his control was significantly better than Emmett's, but I could see the wall start to crumble.

Ultimately the decision to confront Jasper wasn't mine to make. It was Jasper that sought me out on a quiet evening that had my family out hunting and I returning from a twenty-four hour shift from the hospital. I was met at the door by Jasper, his marble features revealed nothing, but the intensity of his predatory stare put me on edge.

"What happened?" I said sedately.

He didn't respond and pushed by me bursting into a run that invited me to follow. I signed heavily. Alice's visions aside, I did not look forward to what awaited me. Violence in any form was abhorrent to me, but even as my mind resisted, I felt the overwhelming urge to seek him out, bring him under my control, make him submit to me. Instincts ruled me. In the end that was all that mattered. Any misgivings I had were quickly replaced by more primal urges and they were driving me to follow him. In his present state he was a danger to the family and it was my duty to deal with the situation in the most primitive of ways.

He was waiting for me in a clearing near our house. A place we often went to play baseball; a passion of Edward and Emmett's, a pastime for the rest of us. For Jasper, it was just another frustration, his failure to grasp the concept of playing a game, a waste of time in his estimation, had left him as a spectator, waiting impatiently for it to be over so he could take his mate and pursue something that made more sense to him.

I could see as I approached him, that he'd finally found something he understood. Everything in his stance suggested he was a predator and I, his prey. He was prepared. He'd done this before and he, unlike Emmett knew what his role was and what I would do to stop him. The sheer volume of bite marks on his body suggested that he'd been in hundreds of battles and despite his injuries, he'd always come out as the victor. Though he'd never spoke directly with me about his couplings with others, Edward had witnessed them in his memories, been baffled by them and assumed it was something only the southern covens did. I did not correct him, did not offer him any explanation and when he asked me if I'd heard of such a maneuver to dissuade an opponent, I'd told him that I had without offering any further details and to my surprise Edward didn't pursue it.

So to say Jasper was prepared was an understatement. He had much more experience in battle and certainly more when it came to dominant and submissive tactics then I. Only the fact that his former coven leader was female kept him from having one of his own. But now he stood face to face with me and it was entirely possible that he could take me and claim my family for his own. Edward would be lost, there was no possibility that he would stay with the family with Jasper as master and that was assuming Jasper wouldn't drive him out first. It was unwise to have anyone in a coven that did not submit to the master either by direct penetration or through an alliance with a mate. It was imperative that I was successful, but I would not rely on Alice's visions to attest to it. I could very well have changed the outcome by simply agreeing to follow Jasper here. Perhaps my day of victory as seen in Alice's visions was another time, another place and I'd changed the entire course of it by letting Jasper dictate the when and where.

Jasper was stalking me, moving around me as I stood alert but otherwise unprovoked by his actions. A soft growl was rumbling from his chest and his lips were parted revealing his razor sharp teeth. He was ready for me, but I would upset his estimation of what would transpire next, I would not fall under his level of predictability. He would not draw me in to an immediate battle that would play to his strength. With Jasper, I thought the prudent course of attack was no attack at all. This was easier said than done. My body was screaming at me to assume a crouch, stalk him as he stalked me. My lips quivered with a need to answer his growls with those of my own, my muscles coiled with the anticipation of a spring.

I pulled from me every ounce of humanity I could muster; a defiant gesture in light of Jasper's out and out challenge and I could see that my internal struggles were producing results in him as well. He appeared unsure, his growls subsiding, the stiffness of his muscles relaxing. He still moved around me, his eyes never leaving mine, but he'd lost some of the predatory look; the animal in him was evaporating. He looked like a graceful human prowling around me and everything about him seemed to soften. It wasn't until I saw his confusion that I spoke, understanding that he was under his own volition, however temporarily.

"Jasper, you don't want to do this. I know what you're feeling, what you think you have to do, but you can fight it, son. Think about it." I spoke softly letting him absorb my words ignoring the rumbling growls that had started again. "You're not an animal, you don't have to let yourself go to your instincts you can resist them."

A flicker of confusion crossed his face. I was playing dirty with my lies, but it was imperative that I gain the upper hand. Too much rested on my success.

"Think about how you handled Emmett. Hardly a battle at all. He isn't a leader, he knew, somehow, someway, he knew that it would be better to submit to you and he did so without any physical coupling. It can work that way with us too."

I had pushed him too far. An eyebrow went up. "Are you preparing to submit to me than, Carlisle?" His words were laced with disdain. H resumed his crouch.

"I was hoping it would be the other way around." I forced a chuckle. "You aren't ready to lead yet, Jasper, it's too soon. You know that."

"I've led hundreds in my life, more than you, so don't talk to me about who is ready to lead." He spat, circling again. His eyes turning black.

"In battle, Jasper. You've led them in battle. Is that what you plan on doing, lead us into battle? Who is our enemy? And what of Alice? Will you be able to concentrate on your duties as leader when you are searching for Alice on the battlefield?" I spoke evenly, reasonably, completely in control.

Again he was unsure. I was certain I saw pain in his eyes. He was remembering his past. Exposing Alice to that was the last thing he wanted to do. I stepped forward testing his level of defensiveness and was stopped by a sharp hiss.

"Stay back." He warned, he was sniffing the air searching for the telltale sign of my lust, but he wouldn't find it. I was tightly in control of _that_ side of myself.

"Are you ready to start feeding on humans again? That's what will happen. You won't be able to control yourself or the others. Rosalie has never even tasted human blood. They will follow your example. Are you prepared for all the humans that will die at the hands of _your_ coven." My voice was barely above a whisper. "You won't have to worry about me, I won't join the slaughter, but all of the others will, it's only a matter of time. And how will you handle the emotions of the dying, Jasper? Isn't that what drove you from Peter and Charlotte, their feeding? How will it be any better? And when it becomes too much for you, what will you do? Run away? Abandon your coven? Leave us to fend for ourselves? And Alice. What of her? She's abstained from humans for years. After you lead her back into that life, will you be there for her or will you run away from her too?"

"Stop." He had his hands over his ears, no longer circling me, no longer stalking me.

"You won't be able to stop Edward. He has no loyalty to you. He'll leave and when he does, how will you handle our grief, especially Esme's. He's her son. She lost an infant son as a human. Did you know that? How will deal with her grief? The power of it will bring you to your knees; I promise you that. Even with your gift I don't think you will be able to control it." My words were becoming more forceful. As he weakened I could feel my own control slipping. My need to take him though not overpowering was bubbling up to the surface. The animal I was, recognized the waning strength of an opponent. I didn't have much time left before my ability to think rationally would leave me.

Jasper was rocking back on his heels; his internal demons waging an almost physical battle within him. I could see the range of emotions flickering across his face as he struggled to quell his doubts and face the task at hand. Jasper's expertise in battle, his experience with other vampires, his understanding of what he was, all correlated back to newborns who had little in the way of control and if not raised properly, really were no more than monstrous animals with the ability to speak. So in hindsight, it was obvious to me that he was completely unprepared in dealing with a vampire wholly in control of his emotions as I appeared to be. I would exploit that illusion as long as I could.

I took another step towards him and when he did not react, another. "You know what you need to do Jasper. You know you aren't prepared to lead this coven. One day maybe, but not today. Why would you want to jeopardize Alice's happiness? What is driving you? I'm not sure I understand?" But I did understand. None of this was under Jasper's control, it wasn't his fault, but I was playing on his weakness, I could repair the damage of my words later, but for now I had to come out on top quite literally.

"I'm not sure I can…" he mumbled. "I'm not sure I can…"

I suspected that he was referring to his ability to resist his challenge of me. Jasper, despite his emotional upheaval was not by nature submissive. He also had his mate to consider and strong emotions often overrode an exemplary character. He would not concede to me without a fight but then I never suspected he would. I only needed to weaken him for my assault, ensuring my success. I had too much at stake not to take advantage of his weaknesses and I could add deception and deceit to the growing list of skill sets that I used to control my family.

I took another step towards him then halted as he stiffened. "Don't fight me Jasper. I'll be quick."

Whether it was a realization that I intended to mount him rather than allow him a verbal concession or an understanding that he would not be able to control himself and would fight me, to the death if necessary, I wasn't sure, but his eyes snapped open at my last comment and with a look of fear on his face, he ran.

I stood opened mouth for only a moment, his reaction not what I'd anticipated, then burst after him, crashing through the trees, wary that he would circle back and initiate a surprise attack, but more concerned that I would lose him, that he would keep running and running, leaving Alice and all of us rather than face what he viewed and I'd reinforced as his epic failures as a vampire, his flawed disposition making him unfit as coven leader, and subsequently unfit as Alice's mate.

I quickly realized, he wasn't Edward. He didn't' have his speed and though I was by no means exceedingly fast in vampire terms, neither was Jasper and I came upon him quickly enough.

"Jasper you must stop. You must face me." I said, still reasonable, but the panic was barely contained. "You cannot leave Alice; she will not survive without you."

He did not appear to be slowing, but he cocked his head to show he was listening.

"You challenge me only because you love her. You want what is best for her. You aren't a monster Jasper. It's who we are, it's our nature." I was inching up on him. "You need to make sure Alice is safe, well protected. It's why you challenge me. It has nothing to do with your past, Jasper. Now let me show you. Let me show you that she's safe. You need to stop. I can show you that you have nothing to fear."

When he stopped and spun I was not prepared for it, but it only took a moment for me to recover and I met his charge and screams of rage with those of my own, our bodies crashing together, the crescendo of sounds reverberating through the trees. We flew in opposite directions and as I jumped to my feet so had he. I let him charge me, his rage driving his aggression. I no longer battled my instincts, the need to take him was only masked by the need to first subdue him and I did not allow any other foreign emotions to play a part in the equation.

Casually I stepped aside as Jasper flew by me, taking down a large oak tree, the trunk breaking at its base sending the tree toppling over, branches splintering around me. I barely moved an inch to avoid the bigger of them. My non aggressive approach incited him further and he charged at me again, snarling and snapping as he approached.

But I did not move, did not try to evade his charge and when he attempted to predict which way I would go by ducking his head, I simply reached around and pushed him face first into the ground, pouncing on him, my arm wrapping around his throat, my teeth against his neck.

"You will submit," I said between clenched teeth against his ear.

He growled a long protracted rumbling his body rigid against mine, his teeth snapping at the air as I gripped tighter. I was prepared for a struggle, anticipating that he might try and throw me from his back, lunging out from under me all in one motion. But instead I felt an assault from another source, my body became heavy and sluggish, I felt numbed, paralyzed unable to use my strength and to my horror, I realized he was using his gift.

I struggled to hold my grasp on his neck but felt my hand slip. He was moving under me struggling to free himself, but with his gift came limitations. He was suffering under its effects as well so his efforts were muted, he was barely moving. It was as if we were both underwater, the air thick and heavy offering resistance to our overwhelming strength, our actions slowed by the thousands of pounds of pressure that pushed us on all sides. The benefit of using his gift that affected both of us equally wasn't lost on me. I would not be able to complete the act of mounting him with a flaccid organ.

_Jasper, what are you doing? This isn't the answer. Just let it be done with and all your pain will be gone._

It took me a moment to understand that I wasn't speaking out loud and it was not Edward I held beneath me. Jasper couldn't read my mind.

I tried to speak but my lips felt anesthetized. I couldn't get my mouth to work enough to form the words. Beneath me Jasper was hardly moving. He'd reduced us both to a level of semi consciousness. I understood his attempts to defend himself in whatever means he had open to him, but this was an impasse that had no resolution until he refrained from exercising his influence on us.

Unless…unless…our instincts could rise above it.

I'd seen damaged vampires, catatonic in their deteriorated mental condition, respond to the scent of blood. Could Jasper's gift be manipulated in such a fashion? I forced my subdued mind to concentrate on his scent, triggering the primal memories bred in all of us. Initially I manually manipulated my hips against him, willing my lascivious need to rise above what my conscious mind could not control. In doing this simple act, I felt Jasper struggling beneath me, trying to free himself from my tenuous grip understanding what I was attempting to do.

At first my efforts were met with the great desire to rest and perhaps this too was Jasper's gift as he redoubled his efforts to stop me, but then I found myself moving against him without conscious thought, my arousal growing, the odor of it oozing from me. I sucked in the scent and felt myself rejuvenate, like a dried flower suddenly given a splash of water. My fingers locked around his neck again as his struggles intensified reacting to the instinctual pull from the stench of my lust. He was losing control; his gift was no longer a factor.

I slide my hand down between us ripping at his trousers, exposing him as he roared under me, but I was prepared when he bucked wildly and gripped him firmly until he paused, then released myself from my own pants, my organ swollen and ready for what I had to do next.

He flailed desperately under me as I pumped against him, seeking to penetrate him, his howls of rage unrelenting. This wasn't how I wanted it to be, this violent confrontation full of aggression and raw power. But it wasn't my choice, it wasn't his choice, this was who we were.

I gasped when I felt myself slide into him, everything else fading away as I languished in the exquisite pleasure of penetrating and forcing submission from another being. The scent of my own lust driving me, invigorating me and I moaned out my pleasure as my hips thrust against him, my organ sinking deeply within his bowels, the tightness of his flesh squeezing me, producing primal grunts and growls, my pleasure and desire increasing with each stroke.

I was beyond words, could offer him no comfort could provide no pleasure as it was all mine for the taking and I reveled in it, much as I had when I'd taken Emmett some years before, but this was different. In Emmett I felt the feral need to take control of another equally powerful being after what had been an accumulation of years of tight restraint. Emmett welcomed my invasion and offered himself to me understanding through his body I was finally getting acquainted with the vampire I'd buried through centuries of self control.

This time, under my violent strokes, Jasper was passive, he did not fight me, did not offer any resistance and most disturbing he did not radiate the smell that suggested his submission. I did not need this to drive my own passion. I took what I needed and would take him again and again if I felt his submission was not complete. It would only be later that I might feel disturbed that I was, for all intents and purposes, taking my pleasure from a corpse.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

I knew the battle was lost the moment Carlisle defied my gift, his movements turning from sluggish and encumbered, to purposeful and strong; the musty odor of his lust permeating my own self induced near unconscious state. As I let the powers of my gift dissipate, I found my strength and fought against his grip. I felt like one of my newborns, the roles reversed, unable to break free of the hold of the dominating vampire. His teeth against my ear, his grip on my neck commanding and even as I felt him free a hand to tear away my trousers I could not break free of him. I knew from my experience that the key to his dominance wasn't in his strength but his scent. Once I was overcome with the aroma of his lust there would be little I could do to resist him. I held my breath, growling as I felt the length of him slide between my legs, his hips thrust against my exposed backside.

I could not stop his invasion; he was in an optimal position, his control of me unquestioned, his desire unrestrained. My only last hope to avoid falling completely under Carlisle's control would be my ability to resist his intoxicating scent. At the first probing of his organ a fit of rage had me bucking under him, but this only encouraged his carnal desire, fed his need, provoked his drive and he deftly moved me to accommodate his penetration. A whimper escaped my lips as I felt his length slide into me, his own moans muffled against the side of my face as he fed off my scent. I clenched my teeth feeling him react as I'd inadvertently clenched down on his organ deep inside me. He groaned and I felt his mouth graze my neck. Would he bite me? I often did when I took the newborns, but their strength and wildness was unpredictable and it was only my bite and the length of my organ imbedded in them that held them in place. I wasn't struggling, but bites could also be triggered out of pleasure.

The tempo of Carlisle's thrusts increased, his release was pending and I hardly moved, letting him take what he needed, his grunts timed with each stroke. I felt the tightening in my abdomen, felt a need to push back against him, despite not breathing in his scent which I knew would overpower me, make me completely his. Yet I still felt it, wanted to serve him. I bit the inside of my mouth, the pain distracting me as he pumped his semen in me, each grunt releasing a shot of it, the delicious fluid burning my insides with its iciness, eliciting little whimpers of pleasure, no doubt audible in Carlisle's ears. But I had not breathed in his scent; I still felt I was operating under my own cognizance. I waited for Carlisle to release me. I would run when he did, escape him. Leave Alice behind where she was happy. And she would be happy without me. Eventually.

But Carlisle didn't release me. His grip didn't loosen; his arm remained firmly around my neck. His male member was not withdrawn and remained rigid inside me. Once the sounds of his spent pleasure subsided, I heard him sigh.

"Jasper are you holding your breath?"

To utter a response I would have to use up the last of my air so instead I nodded. Obediently? I didn't think so, but I wasn't entirely sure that I still had the wherewithal to defy him. How did it feel to be mounted and forced into submission? I could only draw from my own experiences and I was always the dominate one. The newborns always submitted or if I felt they were not in my control, I killed them. It hadn't occurred to me that I could be facing such a fate from Carlisle and I shifted uncomfortably in his hold, testing it.

"Why do you resist me?" Carlisle's lips were against my neck. Was he preparing to bite? I felt a need to protect myself, a soft growl rumbled from somewhere within me. He pressed himself against me. I could feel him still rigid within me. He was going to take me again. I was astounded. I'd never heard of such a thing. Again I struggled against him, but this time I felt his lips along my shoulder, not biting, but licking me, his tongue circling against my flesh. It took me a moment to decipher the pattern but then I realized he was tracing my scars and I gasped, releasing the rest of the air in my lungs. I wouldn't be able to speak unless I took a breath.

"What are you afraid of?" he asked between ministering on long healed wounds that could not be erased with the touch of his venom.

How could I tell him the truth? How his words of earlier in the evening resonated with me. I was not capable of leading this coven, any coven that didn't involve war and death and I could never expose Alice to that, so my only option was to leave her. No, that wasn't right. I could take what Carlisle offered. Submit to him, recognize him as master, but that too would end with my failure. I was too different from them, too damaged. I would never be able to conform to their ways and I saw only failure in my future. It was for the best that I just leave and I couldn't leave if Carlisle forced my submission to him. He would be able to stop me, control me, I had to resist him. But his tongue, it was still moving now along the other shoulder; too many scars, he could never touch them all. Without releasing the grip around my neck he'd tilted my head and started in on those on my throat, vicious nasty scars that could have been fatal bites if the combatant had managed to secure me with his hands. I tensed, sensing my vulnerability, Carlisle's teeth only centimeters from a lethal bite, but still I only felt his tongue and a mumbling, a humming against my throat; the sound was coming from him. It was soothing, the sensation of his tongue on me and the sounds of comfort he was producing drew a sigh from me; more air expelled.

The sounds turned into words. "You need to let me help you Jasper. Don't carry your burden alone. Let me do it for you."

More licks and was he purring? I wanted to believe him. I was so tired. Always struggling, always trying to maintain control, keeping my monstrous behavior locked down and hidden from the others that didn't struggle as I did. Could Carlisle really help me with that?

I groaned as he adjusted himself, gently, pushing himself in me, but his tongue continued along my hair line searching for the scars that were imbedded there. What could it hurt to give myself over to him? I couldn't really leave Alice anyway could I? It really was my only option.

"I need you to breathe in, Jasper. There is no point in resisting. Just let it happen and you will see that I was right all along." His tongue was swirling around the scar that was at the base of my skull at the top of my spine. Maria's bite; she'd almost killed me with that bite and yet I'd served her for decades. Was I so messed up that I couldn't show equal deference to a man that had only shown me compassion.

I was pulled up into Carlisle's lap as he rocked back on his heels; his grip still tight, his organ still buried deeply within me, but then his free hand was sliding over my abdomen and down between my legs seeking my own male member semi erect between my legs. I gasped as his fingers closed around it, first in trepidation then in unanticipated delightful agony when he began to stroke me. Never, never had I enticed pleasure from a newborn. It was always only about achieving my release and securing his submission. Yet here Carlisle was running his fingers back and forth along my rapidly expanding erect organ and it was just too much.

The next gasp was followed by an intake of air as I sucked in the smells around me. Carlisle's odor was overpowering. The musky maleness invaded my nose, my mouth, and I lapped at the air wanting to drink every drop, berating myself for resisting it from the start. My head fell back against Carlisle's shoulder no longer under the restraint of his arm that was slowly sliding down holding me around my chest, his other hand pumping me as I thrust into it..

The chorus of sounds that escaped my lips was inciting his own groans and I could feel the quick little thrusts of his hips as he was fully taken over by his desires again. I worked myself against him, impaling myself on him then thrusting up into his fist as he pumped me. I was moaning and whimpering, my need as strong as his, my desire on par with that of being the dominate one. But another urge that I never experienced before propelled me as much as the pleasure of his hand on me. It was my desire to please him, to be the vehicle for his pleasure and the incredible need to serve him.

The sounds that emanated from me increased in volume and tempo as I felt the tightening in my loins, the pressure of my release building. I forgot all else in those brief moments that I pumped my venom into Carlisle's hand, the release as much physical as emotional. All my pent up angst drained from me with that simple animalistic act.

Without being aware of it, I was face down again, my arms out stretched, my hands bracing against the ground as Carlisle took me again, hard….ramming himself into me, all tenderness gone, the sounds of his pleasure coming in growls and hisses. I found the need to meet his thrusts overwhelming and I pushed back against him, my own sound of what I could only assume was submission matching those of his; the opposite end of the spectrum of noises our experiences similar, yet our needs so different.

With one final roar, Carlisle collapsed and I felt the continues flow of his venom pulsing in me, the delicious fluid sending little shudders of pleasure through my body, eliciting the need to milk his organ with my muscles wanting to fill myself with him. Eventually his desire subsided, the aroma of his dominance fading. He still pressed against me, but his passion was spent. I sighed as he slipped out, lowering himself on me so that we still held the dominate-submissive position, but without penetration.

His lips were back against my neck, but I was no longer fearful of a bite, felt no urge to defend myself, no desire to fight him or flee from him. I had no idea if this was the result of his dominance over me or if it was something else. Something I'd never experienced before other than with Alice, something that had eluded me for decades.

For I understood that by submitting to him, I would no longer feel the need to defend myself or Alice, the decisions in our future would no longer be mine to make, the burden of my former life no longer mine to bear, at least not alone. But perhaps more importantly, I recognized that for the first in my vampire life, I felt compassion from another outside of my mate, a kinship and I finally identified with what Carlisle stood for, what he believed he could accomplish. I felt as if I truly belonged and that he and the others were my family. I felt that maybe I was finally home.

* * *

**_Author Notes:_**

**_I wasn't really sure how to work Jasper's gift into any confrontation or even if I should, but it would make sense that he would try to use it to get the advantage over Carlisle._**

**_Next one shot will include Bella after her change and how dominant/submissive behaviors impact the more traditional matings between couples._**


	5. Control

_**DISCLAIMER: SM owns all Twilight characters and settings. No copyright infringement intended.**_

_**WARNING: Strong sexual content, dominant/submissive subject matter, slash and a lot of hetro sex this time.**_

**_This chapter is being written completely from Edward's point of view._**

* * *

_**Honeymoon - Fade to black? I think not.**_

I carried Bella from the water feeling her body shudder against me; my cold flesh and her warm skin were not separated by clothing or the protection of a blanket as in the past, but the heat of her desire did not dissipate and I felt her erect nipples rubbing against my chest as she clung tightly to me, causing my own body to shudder but for an entirely different reason. My frozen vampire body truly felt alive for the first time in my long dead life and I knew there would be no turning back, the fear, the outright paranoia that I would lose control and hurt Bella, still a real possibility, but my desire and hers, blinded me to my concerns and reservations; I would take her tonight as a husband did his wife.

The warm tropical sultry breezes wafted through the bedroom as I laid Bella in the middle of our marital bed in all her naked glory. She was beautiful beyond words, breathtaking in her unabashed languorous state, staring up at me as I stood over her, the trust and love swirling in the depths of her glorious brown eyes. The burn of my thirst for her blood was muted; instead I was assaulted with another odor, one that I was familiar with and had fervently resisted for several months. It was that of her arousal, strong and fragrant, not encumbered by clothing or tempered with her embarrassment. I sucked in the delicious aroma for the first time, letting it drive my own arousal, feed my own need and I could feel the stiffening of my male member between my legs in response to that odor.

Somewhere in the back of my mind like a pesky little gnat, I heard Carlisle's voice, his words of advice that I'd actively sought in order to prepare myself for this very night, burying my embarrassment under the pretext of keeping Bella safe, but also needing to understand what I could expect from my first sexual experience and how I could satisfy Bella's wants and my needs without losing control. I could never lose sight of Bella's humanity, could never give myself over to the beast and even though Carlisle frowned on my analogy and that particular word for the bloodlust within me that hungered for human blood in general and was ravenous for Bella's blood in particular; Carlisle didn't deny that this _beast_ would also drive my passion and my primal urges to mate and could be just as deadly. His obvious expressions of concern over my intention to engage in sexual intercourse with a human Bella exaggerated my fear and convinced me that it could not safely be done so I would leave it up to her to call off our wedding as I could not keep my end of the bargain.

But Carlisle assured me it would be safe by doing the very thing I was loathe to consider. I was to give myself over to my instincts, let them dictate my sexual drive and concentrate solely on reining them in as dictated by the very fragile human. To me this was a contradiction of all reason; common sense screamed at me to remain tightly in control of the vampire side of my being and ultimately allow the human side to dominate. A disagreement ensued and by not having Carlisle's approval that I was pursuing the right path, I found a second reason to call off this ridiculously dangerous rush into intimate contact with the very reason for my existence. But I couldn't back out; I couldn't disappoint Bella and I didn't have the will to resist the absolute need to take her as my wife in every conceivable way.

So in the end it was my total inexperience that drove me to follow the advice that I didn't agree with but came from the man I had the utmost respect for and whose judgment I trusted completely. I would follow my instincts and give myself over to my primal self while carefully monitoring my behaviors as if I was a third party in my own head, fiercely controlling those instincts so as not to put Bella in any danger. I was so desperate, so anxious that all would go well, that I went so far as to suggest that Carlisle discreetly accompany us on our honeymoon to ensure that I kept Bella safe, but without batting an eye Carlisle convinced me that wouldn't be wise; if I felt any threat from another male I could hurt her all in the misguided effort to protect her.

I was mortified when Bella told me that Carlisle had broached her on our upcoming intimacy. She refused to provide details, but giggled whenever she thought of the conversation which did little to alleviate my worries. As much as it pained me to admit it, I was not much help in preparing Bella on what to expect from our first encounter together. I had never experienced sexual release with another being, human or vampire and I had little in the way of data to suggest what instinctual sexual needs drove our species. My intimate knowledge of the matings within our family though educational, was primarily based on human emotions and responses. I could honestly say that I'd never witnessed the first few matings of any of my family members, too embarrassed to be within earshot of those encounters during my early years. It was only later, with three mated pairs sharing the same roof that I found it tiresome to disappear whenever they chose to engage in intimate acts and I caught glimpses of their lovemaking that did not seem out of the ordinary given my vast medical education and decades worth of exposure to adult themed films.

Now, as I looked down at my lovely naked bride, I tried to push everything away and let myself be guided by instincts, be they vampire or human and my only conscious thought would be to keep Bella safe. When she reached up her arms to me, I allowed myself to be pulled down, not on top of her as was her obvious intent, but to the side, careful to leave a few inches of space between us so I could touch her freely and not have to worry about hurting her with the weight and hardness of my body.

Her mouth covered mine in a frantic kiss, but upon feeling the first tentative probing of her tiny tongue against my lips, I aggressively invaded her mouth with that of my own, I could not risk her exposure to my sharp teeth. We both moaned at the contact of our mouths, our noises just guttural sounds deep in our throats. We'd kissed before of course, but never this deeply, never to this extent and never completely naked. As I devoured her mouth with that of my own, I slide my hand across her smooth flat belly feeling the goose bumps rise on her flesh in response to my cold touch, but ignoring her shivers, refusing to spoil the moment to address my endless concern for her comfort in light of our vastly different body temperatures.

Tonight I would give her everything she'd beg for for so many months and everything I'd denied myself, partly out of chivalry and common decency, but mostly because I was afraid. When my hand curled around the gentle swell of her breast she gasped and pressed herself into it, moaning softly. I gently touched the tip of her nipple, pulling back to watch the expression on her face, gauging her sensitivity to my touch, determining how much pressure she could handle before I went any further. But my light feathery touches weren't enough and I felt her hand cover mine, showing me how she wanted to be touched…squeezed, lifting her head to find my mouth again, sucking my lips into hers and biting down, growling as she did so.

I was so careful, so cognizant of her tender lips, resisting the need to crush mine against hers and trying to concentrate instead on the delightful sweet taste of her lips and mouth as she moaned and withered against me. It was she that finally pulled away and I heard her gasp for air, but when I tried to pull back to give her the space she needed, she grasped the back of my head and forced it down, forced me lower directing me to the tender mounds of flesh that I carefully cupped, one in each hand.

With her hands in my hair, pulling me to one soft breast, I tentatively licked at the taut nipple, pulling back in alarm when a sharp almost silent cry burst from her lips, but as I was to understand, this was a cry of pleasure and so tentatively, I pressed my mouth on her again, this time covering the rosy bud with my lips first in a cold kiss, then a gentle suckle.

"Oh, Edward….oh yes, please baby…that feels so…"her breath was one long continuous whisper. It was the first time either of us spoke upon entering the room and her words ignited me. I was doing it right. So far, I was in control.

I switched to her other breast, licking my way around the areola before pulling it into my mouth, feeling her body arch up, wanting more, pressing herself against me. I sucked harder, drawing more of the exquisitely soft flesh in, covering my dangerous teeth with my lips. I slid my arm around her holding her up, supporting her, her cries of delight the most beautiful music I'd ever heard. She wrapped both arms around me holding my head tightly to her.

"Yes like that…" I heard her whisper so softly it almost sounded like a thought rather than words from her lips and I repeated the action that earned her praise, licking around her nipple then sucking it into my mouth and was reward again as she groaned and uttered additional appreciate murmurs.

She was more in my arms then she was lying on the bed. Her head was thrown back, her chest thrust up so that I might enjoy the benefits of feeding off both breasts at my discretion and I did, moving from one to the other, than back again; experimenting with my tongue and lips, enjoying the endless shudders, no longer a reaction to the chill of my body, but the pleasure I was deriving with the simplest of physical intimacies. I was so engaged in worshiping her glorious perfect feminine parts that I'd given little thought to the rest of her body until she spread her legs. Perhaps it was her way to signal her need or perhaps she was just shifting position, but either way the scent that was released was overpowering and at the precise moment it hit my nostrils my mouth closed around her breast and I bit…almost.

Her cry of pain brought me back and in an instant I was out of her embrace and across the room, slamming into the far wall as far away from her as the space would allow. Her eyes locked with mine, but there was no fear in those eyes, only astonishment and concern for what I knew she saw on my face. I felt it, the horror of what I'd almost done and I had no doubt that she could see it too.

"Edward, it's alright. I'm fine," she said looking down at the breast I almost bit and touching it tenderly. "No damage done."

"What? How can you say that? I almost bit you. I almost…I almost…" I couldn't find the words to express my disgust with myself and there was Bella looking all calm and confident.

"It felt sort of good…"

"Bella," I moaned, gripping my hair in anguish. I could see she wasn't taking it seriously at all, could see once again that she didn't understand the danger she was in. I turned from her; my organ still throbbed with need. Despite almost biting her, almost ending her human life and perhaps, if I'd tasted her blood, almost ending her life completely, I still desired her, still wanted her in that way and it disgusted me.

"We can't do this Bella…we can't. I'm sorry. I know I promised, but you promised too. You said we could try it and if it didn't work you'd be all right with that. It's not going to work Bella; I can't do it. I can't risk it." I sucked in a breath to calm myself and was hit with another concentrated whiff of her arousal. The beast in me lapped it up; I could taste her on my tongue and I groaned as the traitorous organ between my legs twitched in response to it.

"Stop…" I whispered as if she could control her desire at her whim. The need to reach down and stroke myself was almost overwhelming. Everything, every sense was tuned in on that smell not unlike the day she walked into my life and I smelled her blood for the first time. I had pondered killing every child in that classroom to feed off of her, taste her, drawing her delectable nectar into my body and relishing the incredible rush of power and pleasure that would course through my veins. Her scent of arousal was all of that and so much more and this time with one hand supporting myself against the wall, I did reach down, my body convulsing as my fingers made contact with the center of my sexual self. I needed a release as desperately as I needed to taste her blood and I could satisfy at least one of those needs without hurting her.

And then I heard it. It might have been my name, but it didn't come out as anything resembling human speech. Instead, it was a very soft, very subtle purring sound. Not like a vampire would make, not a noise from the diaphragm, but still, it called to me in the most primal of ways and that combined with her scent….I groaned.

Slowly I turned and what I saw would shock me for all time. It was still Bella, still on the bed, still waiting for me, but this Bella had a look on her face that was…well…predatory. But it wasn't even her salacious penetrating stare that had me spinning around abruptly. This Bella was on her hands and knees on the bed, looking at me from under her arm with a sly smile on her lips…waiting.

"Noooo…." was all I could manage, but I was already moving forward, covering the space in an instant, dropping down at the end of the bed between her legs where that intoxicating smell was coming from. I was the beast now, I couldn't think beyond that heavy musky stench, the fragrance drawing me in like a fish caught on the end of a hook. I was powerless to resist its call. I let it invade my senses, hungrily sucking at the air, feeding the beast, my eyes devouring her feminine parts, catching ever detail, every crevice, every hidden fold that would need to be explored. Even my sharp hearing implored me to get closer, the sounds of her rapid heartbeat, the blood rushing through her veins, the licking of her lips, the murmurs of desire and finally the sounds of flesh as she clenched and unclenched her muscles.

She was calling to me in the most primitive of ways, presenting herself to me as an animal, the beast within me recognizing the pull of her womanly heat. My hips involuntarily thrusted forward…once…twice. I needed her, needed to fill her, my body begged for it. Sinking to my elbows, I leaned forward at the precise moment she arched her back, exposing herself to me and I felt the heat of her center bathe me in her scent. I was past thinking clearly, past worrying whether I could keep from hurting her, past analyzing all the million little things that could go wrong. I needed this, needed her, needed to taste her.

When my tongue finally made contact with the folds of her delicious moist core, I was conscious of her cries, heard the undecipherable garble spew from her lips and visibly saw her spread her legs wider giving me greater access. I tasted her again and again, growling with satisfaction, finding nothing more enticing than the flavor of her desire. I wasn't consciously aware of closing my mouth on her until I heard her audible scream, but this time, it didn't drive me away, didn't scare me off; instead it fed my fervor and I sucked harder, my face pressing tightly against her, pushing her forward, even as she tried to brace herself and push back. Hungrily I licked her, my ears now tuned to her soft cries of contentment, her little grunts and groans, even growls, primal growls and each one encouraged me, encouraged the beast. I answered her with growls of my own, communicating my desire for her, my lascivious craving for her. When she finally released, I felt the warm juices on my tongue and hungrily lapped at them, unable to compare it to any other taste I'd ever experienced or would want to experience again. No blood was so powerful, not even her blood drew me and satisfied me as the taste of her sex.

My hips were thrusting forward wildly of their own accord and I reluctantly pulled back from her warmth, sliding up her back, feeling for the first time her entire naked body pressed against mine. She was gasping and crying, rocking underneath me, but the instant I impaled her with my aching organ I felt her freeze under me, felt her muscles clench down on me and I groaned in a mixture of sheer bliss and unmasked lust, unable to stop myself or the thrusts that were driven by the beast.

Whatever concern I still had for her safety was squelched under my need to release myself into her, flood her with my venom, fill her with my essence and make her mine. She didn't protest, didn't struggle or resist in any way, completely open to me and my invading shaft that was not so pliable as a mortal male. Any attempts to match my thrusts were quickly abandon and she let me manipulate her as my desire dictated. Only her grunts and occasional cries of pleasure assured me that I was accommodating her needs while satisfying my own.

I counted. It was the simplest way I could describe it. I counted. With each thrust I counted, one/one thousand, two/one thousand and so on. It was the mantra I repeated over and over in my brain. It would only be later that I was aware that I did it. I was counting out my strokes, keeping them in check, recognizing even in my frenzy that a human being couldn't tolerate a full on assault from my body. I held her in place with a hand on the curves of her hips and counted until I felt the most overwhelming sensation in my testicles, the tightening, the rush and finally the release. The bestial roar that escaped my lips was not human and it was in that single moment that I truly lost control, pushing her forward, my teeth bared, ready to bite down on the tender flesh of her shoulder, before finding the pillow and tearing into it as I bent her under me in a tight little ball and allowed my venom to fill her in one long release.

As she was flooded with my icy semen her body quaked and shuddered under me, her frenzied cry shocking in its intensity, her weak human muscles clamping on me again and again attempting to draw the last bit of fluid from my slightly deflated organ. Eventually, her limbs gave out and I lowered her to the bed gently following her, covering her, my member still filling her, ready to take her. Now that I finally had her, I never wanted to be apart from her again.

"Well that was…interesting," Bella said softly, after several minutes of silence.

"Was it, love? Is that how you would describe it…interesting? I didn't hurt you did I?" I nuzzled her neck feeling confident I hadn't and proud of myself for finally completing the act.

"Hardly," she purred stretching against me, whimpering when she felt me slip from her.

Gathering up a blanket, she wrapped herself in it and pressed back against me contentedly. We lay silent for awhile. I assumed Bella would need time to recover and would want to sleep so I lay contentedly wrapped around her, appraising our coupling, assessing my performance and evaluating how I managed to contain the beast and complete the act without hurting her. Just when I was at the height of smugness, a thought occurred to me and I stiffened.

"What is it baby?"

"How did you know to do that?" I asked, suddenly wary.

"Do what?"

"Entice me…lure me…call to me?"

"Is that what I did," she giggled, but didn't elaborate.

"Carlisle!"

This time she suppressed her laughter but I could feel her body shake against me.

"What did he say," I demanded, suddenly irate by his interference.

"Calm down Edward, he was only trying to help us."

"Tell me," I said, feeling no calmer but trying to appear so.

"He told me that it was likely something would freak you out and you wouldn't go through with it, unless I helped you."

"He said what?" I growled not understanding why I was so annoyed with my father.

"Okay well he didn't say freak you out, but something to that effect. Edward, please don't make a big deal out of this." She turned in my arms and cupped my face in her tiny hands. "He said I would have to appeal to your animalistic nature, that you would need to draw from a primitive part of yourself and I could help you do that by presenting myself to you in a certain way."

"Whaa…t? He said what!"

"He said, instinctually vampires do not make love like humans. You…well you mount your females." Another giggle. "Those are his words this time, not mine."

I rolled on my back, bringing Bella with me. She raised herself on her elbow and stared into my face.

"Now Edward. Don't go off on Carlisle. He was only trying to help and it wasn't you that had to sit there and listen to him tell me how I could lure you. It was absolutely embarrassing, but I was willing to do anything to make this happen."

I must have been lying there with my mouth hanging open for some time, because eventually I felt Bella's hand under my chin forcing it closed.

"Honestly, Edward, I wanted to crawl in a hole, but he was right. It worked didn't it?"

"Tell me exactly what he said," I whispered.

She stroked my chest, I assume trying to soothe me before attempting to explain.

"I'm not sure what is worse, being instructed in the art of vampire love making by your father or repeating it to you, but okay here it goes." She smiled and a pleasing rosy blush touched her cheeks. "He said that you would most likely try to make love to me like a human, but it probably wouldn't work, so if you needed any encouragement, I should get on my hands and knees and _present_ myself to you. The odor and position of my body would drive your vampire instincts and you wouldn't be able to resist me. He said vampires are closer to animals then humans on a sexual level and even though you can't reproduce, your body is automatically programmed to respond to a female that is obvious expressing her need to be mated with. By assuming the position, I or any female is inviting a male to mate with her with the intention of reproducing and it would be impossible for the male to ignore it. And as it turns out, he was right."

"Bella, I could have hurt you." I was so astounded by Bella's matter of fact explanation that I could barely speak.

"Carlisle said that since you wouldn't be overcome with trying to make love like a human and controlling your bloodlust and reining in your strength, you would be able to concentrate better. You would be mating with me as an animal, but controlling yourself as a human. You wouldn't be concentrating on trying to pleasure me, but only trying to achieve your own release successfully coupling with me as an animal would.

"I can't believe he talked to you like that." My anger was back. How dare Carlisle speak so crudely to my Bella. "What else did he say?"

"He said it would be lonely and I might feel disconnected afterward, but it was a means to an end if I was determined that we consummate our marriage." Bella said amiably, obviously not the least bit bothered by the conversation now. "And, like I said, I could have died of embarrassment, but he was completely professional about it. There was something he was wrong about though."

"What? I hurt you didn't I? " I cupped her face in my hands, staring imploringly into her eyes. "Bella you have to tell me."

She sighed, and smiled. "No baby you didn't hurt me. Carlisle was wrong because he said I would feel disconnected and I feel anything but that. It was, in the words of our dear Alice, simply fabulous."

I groaned and collapsed on the bed. Carlisle and I would be having a serious talk when we got home. I was a married man now. He couldn't continue to treat me like a child and he certainly had no right to help Bella plot against me when I was only concerned for her safety.

"We won't be doing it again until you're changed. I fulfilled my end of the bargain. We just got lucky that you didn't get hurt. But no more Bella. It's just too dangerous," I said as firmly as I could, preparing for her tears and protests. But she surprised me by leaning over me and applying a kiss to my closed mouth.

"Oh Edward, you are so cute when you get bossy. But you should know, Carlisle also told me something else. He said females have all the sexual power in a mated relationship so I'm pretty sure that I can have you whenever I want you."

Before I had a chance to stutter out a response, she'd unwrapped herself from the blanket and rolled onto her stomach, spreading her legs and lifting herself up on her knees just a little, but a little was all it took. I smelled her again and it immediately triggered the inevitable reaction as I felt myself lengthen against my thigh. I growled out my desire and she responded in kind with a tiny little growl herself. It appeared that Carlisle was right.

* * *

_**Duluth (one month after Bella's change)**_

I drained the deer in seconds and tossed it aside. I wasn't hungry. I'd fed more in the last few weeks then I had since I was a newborn. It was the only way I could be with Bella and I wanted to be with her every step of the way. I couldn't push that responsibility on my other family members, not when she was so confused and scared. But was she scared? I assumed she was, but I couldn't know for sure. I couldn't get close to her. She wouldn't let me get close to her and this terrified me.

Carlisle said it was too be expected, but he'd never warned me of it, never suggested it was even a possibility. How could my Bella forget me, forget that I was her mate, that we were married, meant to be together for all time? How was that even possible?

No, she hadn't forgotten completely. From the moment she opened her eyes from a long three day burn she recognized me as she did the other members of our family. She knew who we were and after several minutes of acclimating to her surroundings she relaxed her defensive crouch and accepted us as her coven. But she showed no greater deference to me than any of the others and given her rather aggressive reaction to my general presence, I wasn't even sure if she liked me, never mind recognizing me as her mate. When she wasn't hissing and spatting at me, she was throwing things at me. Esme was at wits end and she blamed me for Bella's animosity; telling me to quit aggravating the newborn.

But I was only trying to reestablish our connection, our love and passion, everything that made Bella my mate. This newborn Bella wouldn't permit it. She refused to allow me to get close to her other than as another member of her coven and she only took direction from Carlisle or Esme. Any input from me was met with disdain and contempt and a flying antique vase.

The rest of my family did not share my sense of horror at Bella's behavior. In fact, it provided Jasper and Emmett with endless amounts of amusement. At wits end I finally cornered Carlisle, my terror overriding the awkwardness of the situation. Carlisle was not as blatantly amused as my brothers, but he appeared completely unconcerned and tried to assure me that Bella would come around. Mates were mates and nothing could distract from that, not even Bella's change into a vampire.

Granted, he had seen no humans mated to a vampire before their change so he had no firsthand experience, but if there was any credibility to the bond that tied a mated pair, even turning Bella into the undead and a completely difference species would have no impact on the tie that bound us. I found his argument completely lacking in any credibility and when I attempted to argue on the merits of his opinion, because I was sure it was only an opinion, he pointed out that he had seen several vampires refrain from killing humans because they had, in the split second before the deadly bite recognized their mate in the human prey and were able to deny their bloodlust when it would have been at its most powerful. Never had he seen where the turned human rejected his or her creator afterward and cited Eleazar and Carmen as an example.

But then he told me something else, something that would have brought a blush to my face if blood still flowed through my veins.

"Edward, you have to understand that Bella's newborn instincts are driving her right now and her number one priority will be feeding. That will change, change fairly quickly, but I can see her indifference to you is upsetting you so if you want to move the process along, you just need to mate with her."

"M…mate with her?" I felt my jaw drop, shocked by Carlisle's suggestion. "In case you haven't noticed, I can't get anywhere near her, let alone mate with her."

"Edward." Carlisle wasn't trying to be condescending, but I felt irritated none the less, especially when he smiled patiently at me. "You can mate with her. Newborns are particularly sexual and respond to any signs of sexual arousal. You will have to drive it. In other words, you will have to become aroused yourself through physical stimulation or whatever means you choose, but once you are in that state she will respond to it and it will be fairly easy for you to mount…"

"Enough." I couldn't stand to listen to this anymore. "What you're suggesting, it's…it's just wrong."

"Edward," there was that tone again. "Son, you need to put aside what you feel is proper. You are married to her, you have successful made love to her. She is your mate. You need to deal with Bella on her level, as a newborn, controlled by her instincts; that or wait, those are your only two options."

"How long before she sees me as her mate if I wait?"

"Usually we can expect to see control between six and nine months, but…"

"Six to nine months!" I shouted pacing rapidly back and forth in Carlisle's office. That was too long; I couldn't wait for Bella for six to nine months.

"Edward."

"Stop treating me like a child, Carlisle," I snapped.

"Then stop acting like one." There was a low rumbling growl coming from somewhere deep within Carlisle's chest and I felt his penetrating stare even as I averted my gaze.

I held my breath, knowing what would follow. It was the scent I had to be wary of, but still I felt a softening in my anger, a weakening of my posture and before I knew it, my chin hit my chest. I knew better than to speak, my mouth tended to get me in trouble more often than not.

"Now, I'm not about to debate this. I've given you an option. Whether you choose follow it or wait is entirely up to you. But rest assured son, Bella will remember you and she will come back to you, so only your patience is necessary at this point." Carlisle was packing up the papers on his desk, getting ready for his shift.

"Six to nine months isn't so long," I said more to myself than him. I saw Carlisle's lips twitch in a smile.

"No, son, it's not long at all."

But it was long, excruciatingly long and now as I ran through the trees sniffing the air looking for Bella's scent, I pondered Carlisle's words. I was too mortified to ask him what he meant, how one went about mating with a hostile newborn. Would it be obvious? It seemed like Carlisle would have went into a little more detail, but then I hadn't exactly been receptive to the idea.

There it was. Bella's scent and fresh blood; she'd made a kill. I was upon the deer carcass in a few strides, but her scent kept going, drifting in the wind, another deer, but no Bella. I felt a little panicky now. Bella usually didn't run too far from me. The deer were plentiful here in the arrowhead region of Minnesota so hunting was simple, hardly hunting at all. The deer practically ran into us, especially when we surrounded them, but Bella was running, away from me. Why? I ran faster, her scent was strong, she was close. And then it hit me, another scent, another scent of a vampire. Bella wasn't running away from me, she was running after another vampire!

I no longer ran casually, taking care not to startle her. I ran as fast as I could. I had her scent, tracking her was not a problem and though she could possibly outpace me in an all out footrace, she was not running at top speed and I was gaining on her quickly. The terror of the discovery of the unknown scent built up like bile in my belly. Who was this imposter that dare invade our territory? Surely he smelled our scent, it would have been all over the area; we hunted here often. I tried not to consider another possibility, the one that didn't have him running from Bella but rather leading her away from the safety and sanctity of the rest of the coven. I was flying now, a low growl emanated from my lips, growing louder with each step. If Bella was in danger, if this vampire dared to touch her, harm her in any way, I would rip him to shreds.

So caught up in imagining how I would tear this stranger limb from limb, I almost overran Bella's scent. My legs locked, my feet skidded into the ground creating furrows in the frozen soil and I came to an abrupt halt at the edge of a clearing. I was struck immediately by the odor. It hit me as hard as if I'd run straight on into Emmett's massive chest and I was almost thrown back by the sheer force of it.

There was my Bella's scent, the scent that called to me from the moment she walked into my life, not of her blood, but her unique odor that would be forever burned in my mind, but beyond that scent was another. It vaguely resembled Bella as a human, something I shied away from during our courtship fearful of what it might awaken in me; then later, even after we were married, I understood it's power how she could use it to provoke my vampire instincts and how I inevitably responded to it. This new scent was purely vampire and it spoke to me on a completely different level, an animalistic primitive calling that was almost as hard to resist as the draw of Bella's blood. This was the call of her arousal as a vampire and everything about it screamed _mine_.

Any confusion I had over Bella's sudden state of arousal was elucidated in the next second or two by another odor that burned my nostrils instigating what I presumed was Bella's interest. It wasn't me she was responding to but the one she'd been chasing. His pungent stench was overpowering and with it he was drawing my Bella too him, doing exactly what Carlisle suggested I do, engaging her with his arousal.

I went unnoticed by both of them as I stepped from the tree line, my mouth agape, the growls silenced, my eyes wide with horror. Bella was in a crouch, one hundred yards from me. What remained of her clothes were covered in blood from her recent feedings and she was hissing softly at the stranger that stood less than fifty feet from her. He was tall, fair haired, thin and regal in appearance, dressed in fashionable clothing and reasonably clean. His stance suggested he was long of this world, hardly unfamiliar with vampire ways particularly when I saw his lustful thoughts as he eyed Bella inquisitively. I couldn't take it, couldn't bear to see how he desired Bella, how he lured her forward with his retched stink, how he ogled her exposed breast and imagined what he would do with her when she was close enough for him to pounce. I felt the slow burning rage build with the progression of his thoughts, my desire to kill only held in check by my absolute shock at the scene before me, keeping me frozen in place.

I knew that she would go to him, go to him willingly and I could only watch Carlisle's advice play out before me, only it wasn't me that was fueling her newborn urges, it was a stranger, someone not afraid or embarrassed to use his vampire instincts to get what he wanted, understanding her newness and what would compel her. I felt like a child in the company of an adult, older and wiser and he was luring my Bella away from me as surely as if he were enticing her with the chivalry and respect demanded by the human woman of my time. But she wasn't human any longer, wasn't driven by the same needs and until this very moment, I hadn't understood it, but now that I did, I found my knees were locked in place and I couldn't move, couldn't reveal my presence; my confusion and inexperience leaving me incapable of acting against the masterful control of the vampire before me.

His movements were subtle. He knew he was dealing with a newborn. Everything he did was deliberate and slow. He didn't speak, words wouldn't bring the object of his seduction to him. He was driven by his animalistic needs and she by hers and no words needed to be exchanged to make his intentions clear. He was mirroring her crouch, rocking from foot to foot appearing to anticipate her next move, teasing her by suggesting he would dodge away if she reached for him. His eyes never left hers, drawing her to him, dazzling her in a way only a vampire could do, but she was a vampire too and she might have been able to resist his influence if she was not being enticed by his scent, a scent that she would not be able to defy. Arousal was arousal, I was only beginning to see that the object of that arousal was irrelevant.

Bella wanted him. That much was evident. She was inching forward, licking he lips. Her eyelids were drooping closed as she was overcome with her lust. This Bella was not the one I knew, the soft sweet, human one. This Bella was as much predator as she was the prey and she was driving her need as surely as she was being overcome by it. From time to time, her lips parted and she drew in a breath, hungrily absorbing the scent that was fueling her desires. She was making an odd noise, one associated with pain, but I knew it wasn't pain she felt, but the unrelenting yearning to be filled with the essence of the male before her. Another powerful wave of his maleness washed over her and she lapped it up as surely as if she were lapping at the blood of her prey.

I wanted to turn away, runaway from what I was about to witness. There was no doubt that they were completely locked in to each other's desires. Neither had noticed my presence even as the wind shifted and swirled and still I remained frozen, unable to stop what was inevitable. As unbearable as it was to witness my mate's defilement, I could not force myself away. They were circling each other now, drawing closer to each other as if their bodies were being pulled together by an invisible force. A purring sound was emanating from the stranger, encouraging her, his desire evident, his need almost uncontrollable.

With each flash of his thoughts, I cringed; his intentions were to reach out with his hand, letting her find it, come to him, rub against him, giving her the control that would soothe her, alleviate her worries if she still held any. He was confident that she would be unable to resist him, still he didn't want to battle her, his wariness of her newborn strength suggesting he'd done this before. No, he was patient and would let her approach him, rub herself against him, giving the illusion that she was the seducer. And when he was confident that she was lost to her instinctual needs he would slide his hand up and cup her bare breast and she would melt against him, matching his purrs with those of her own, unable to resist the careful manipulation of his hands as he turned her, rubbing himself against her, feeding his arousal and letting her understand his desires for her and then he would rip away whatever fabric remained between them and bend her over and…

The scream of rage I heard startled me as much as it did the two vampires in front of me engaged in their ritualistic mating dance and it took me a moment to understand that the agonizing sound was coming from me. I was already sprinting across the open field, running past a frozen Bella, whose newborn mind wouldn't yet be able to shift focus and absorb my presence as quickly as the other one. He tried to dodge away from me, but I saw his thoughts before he had time to react and sprung on him, the primal roar that tore through my body and out my mouth left little doubt as to my intentions.

Initially, I held the advantage of a surprise attack and driven by my rage, I propelled him across the clearing, felling trees and smashing boulders that were in the way of the projectile of his body. But after my initial assault that failed to inflict true injury on my opponent, I found myself thrown from him, my body toppling end over end and only my fingers digging into the ground stopped my momentum. His snarls and hisses warned me of his approach and I dived away from his airborne body only milliseconds before he attempted to crush me into the ground. My rage drove my attack, I was no more than a mindless newborn myself, relying completely on instinct and the obvious kill, forgetting all that Jasper and Carlisle had taught me in the art of hand to hand combat.

Screaming as I ran, I charged him, using my gift to guide me and when he dodged left, I saw and pounced, my teeth sinking into his shoulder, drawing a scream of surprise and pain from him and a satisfied snarl from me. But as quickly as I glorified in my bite, I felt a hand under my chin pushing up as he ignored the clench of my teeth on his flesh even as I tore a chunk of it from his body, refusing to unlock my jaw under his assault. He held my jaw and squeezed, forcing me to release him, but defiantly I spat his own flesh at him, my hand gripping his jaw in a similar fashion and we rolled over and over on the ground, neither of us relinquishing our hold, giving no one the advantage, locked in an embrace that saw neither of us rise as the victor.

As minutes pasted and our standoff remained, I was distracted; I could not detect Bella and my distraction changed to fear. Had she run away? My failure to concentrate was all that my opponent needed and without any warning, his hand wrapped around my wrist, his other slide down around my throat and simultaneously, he began to squeeze. The attack on two fronts drew a scream from my lips and I loosened my hold around his neck in response which was exactly as he anticipated. He twisted away from me releasing my wrist and using his free hand to grasp my head; his fingers tightened and then he was behind me, driving me forward into the ground. I did not need to see his thoughts to understand his intentions now. He was in the optimal position for the kill, he only had to wrap his arm around my head and he would be able to rip it from my body. I roared one finally time, using all my strength to break free of him, but his mind was clear of doubts, his intentions obvious, he confidence in the outcome, dictated what was inevitable. Except he forgot about Bella.

I saw her charge him through his eyes. She was enraged, her red eyes blazed with her fury. I felt his grip on my throat loosen as he raised his arm to defend himself against her onslaught, but it did little good. He was thrown from me as she hit him with all her newborn strength and scrambling free from his hold, I turned and watched through my own eyes as she tackled him, instinctually understanding her superior strength and attempting to wrap her arms around him, crushing him to dust. He too saw the danger, but his thoughts were not wild and uncontrolled. He was a skilled fighter and sprung up into the air avoiding her attempt to grab him, leaving her nothing to grip but air. She screamed her frustration and turned to find her allusive prey, but it was too late. He dropped from the trees and had her head in his grip only an instant away from doing the very thing he'd almost done to me seconds before.

"Noooo," I screamed as I charged him, but upon seeing him hold her up in his arms, his eyes locking with mine, I felt a terror unlike anything I'd ever known.

"Stop," he snarled and I didn't need to read his thoughts to understand his intentions. I did as I was told and froze in place, not so much as taking a breath lest the rise and fall of my chest spur him into administering the lethal deed that would end her life. Where moments before he was ready to mount her, now he would kill her and feel no great loss in the process.

"Let her go," I whispered, my tongue felt thick and dry in my mouth as I looked at Bella helpless in the arms of her potential killer.

"Let her go? So you both can attack me? I don't think so," the vampire spoke calmly, readjusting his grip on Bella who squirmed futilely against his death hold.

"We won't, we'll go." My voice sounded pitifully contrite. I would do nothing to jeopardize Bella's life, even if I had to beg him to spare her.

"Ahhh, and what makes you think I'm so stupid to believe such lies," the vampire said. Bella growled in his arms and he tightened his grip. "Do you want to kill me, young one?"

I cringed as she hissed and snarled, unable to control her reaction.

"I thought so," and then he surprised me by laughing. "What is your name?"

I looked at him incredulously, not sure I'd heard him correctly.

"Your name?" he repeated more slowly.

"Edward."

And this one?" He shook Bella a little, laughing again when she snapped her teeth at him.

"Bella."

"Why is it, Edward, that you let this newborn run around unsupervised and why is she covered in animal blood?"

"She wasn't running around unsupervised, we were hunting. We don't feed from humans, we feed from animals; that should explain the animal blood." I heard the tenor of defiance creep into my voice. I had to concentrate. Bella's life was in danger.

"Interesting, that explains the color of your eyes," the vampire said thoughtfully. "So you are her creator?"

When I shook my head, he cocked his head in surprise and raised his eyebrows questioningly?

"My fa…my coven leader created her, I am her mate."

I shifted uncomfortably. A human habit and he noticed. His thoughts conveyed his confusion, but I could not respond further without revealing my gift.

"Your mate? If she's your mate, why did she react to me as she did? My scent would have had no influence on her if she were mated." Bella squirmed in his arms. He raised his eyebrows at her response and then smiled knowingly at me. "Ahhh, I see. You haven't mounted her yet."

I might as well have been standing in Carlisle's study having the same conversation with him. My first impression of him was accurate. He was refined, worldly and experienced. I felt like a child under his amused stare. Was it only I that was so clueless that I didn't understand how and what I needed to do that apparently was so natural to everyone else.

He didn't have to be a mind reader to feel my discomfort and I stiffened when he chuckled, taking my silence for confirmation of what was completely indisputable.

"So Bella, what do you have to say about all of this. Is Edward your mate or are you just protecting him as part of your coven?" His lips pressed against her hair and he sucked in her scent smiling directly at me, enjoying himself as she squirmed against him.

I didn't move, I didn't breathe, Bella's life still rested in his hands. It was only when Bella looked directly at me and I found myself sinking into her eyes, that were no longer brown but no less beautiful, that I saw first her understanding and then her shame.

"Edward is my mate," she said softly, breaking our gaze, and tearing a hole in my heart.

Again the vampire surprised me by chuckling. "Then I suppose I can't kill you without condemning myself to the unending wrath of your mate for all the rest of eternity. You're lucky I'm peaceable by nature."

Then to me, "Can you control her?"

I nodded, hardly able to believe my ears.

He shook his head and smiled. "That remains to be seen, but here you go."

And in that instant, the breath I'd been holding was forcibly expelled as Bella's body was flung into mine. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to still her trembling, sucking in her scent that was blissfully free of the accompanying burn, but no less painful in its own right. I'd almost lost her before I truly had her and now I wanted to hold her and never let go. I gave no thought to the fleeing vampire who only stopped to pick up the chunk of flesh I spat at him before disappearing in the woods. I could not blame him for my failure to secure Bella at my side. It was my fault, my fault and Carlisle's for not warning me.

But before I could think further on it, she was wrestling free of my arms and for a brief moment I wondered if the vampire who left without revealing his name, understood my weakness better than I did. But she didn't run; instead she raised her hands to her face and started to cry.

"Bella, my love, what is it, what's wrong?" I held my hands out helplessly to her, my heart breaking all over again as she shied away from me. She hated me, that was it, she didn't love me, Carlisle was wrong. Something was different, something had happened during her change. Now, not only had I lost my mate but I'd stolen her human life away, condemning her to an immortal life without anyone to love.

"Bella, please, tell me what's wrong?" I had to make her say the words that would break my heart once and for all.

But she surprised me when she finally looked up shaking her head sadly, her face contorted in pain. "I'm so ashamed, Edward. I don't know what's wrong with me, why I reacted like I did. At first, I was chasing him to see who he was, but then…then…that smell…it was just…I couldn't control myself. I wanted him…I wanted him in th...that way."

She was no longer looking at me, staring off into the trees, but when I stepped forward to comfort her, her head snapped back and she hissed at me, stopping me in my tracks. I held out my hands to her in a defensive manner. How could I show her I meant her no harm and that I understood what she was feeling?

"Bella, please, you can't help it. Remember what Carlisle told you about the human scent, how you would react when you smelled it?"

"He wasn't human,"she spat, the disgust with herself manifesting into anger towards me.

"But it's the same thing, don't you see love," I whispered, thinking of Carlisle's odor and how he used it to control me and my brothers. "You were responding to his scent as you would a human's, but for an entirely different reason. The scent, the draw is very difficult to resist; it's part of being a vampire. You are controlled by instinctual needs and desires and it will be very hard for you to resist the call of them."

"You're just saying that. Leave me alone…I want you to leave me alone," her hisses left little room for argument and I took a step back, but then a voice from the woods drew both our attention. Our enemy was back.

"Bloody hell," the words reverberated through the trees, followed by laughter. "Show her, you fool."

Part of me wanted to run charging into the trees and destroy the stranger once and for all, but I was Carlisle's son after all and years of gentle parenting, stern lectures and chiding quips, had left me conditioned for guidance from an older wiser vampire, despite my often insolent attitude. I needed to listen to myself and allow my instincts to rule, the human in me was making me miserable; it was time for the vampire to emerge. But I didn't want an audience.

"Could you give us some privacy then," I yelled into the trees.

More laughter. "You must trigger her desires and you can only do that with your own arousal, she won't respond to you if she can't smell you."

"Go away," I roared. I would have continued the argument if Bella hadn't turned at that very moment and bolted in the opposite direction. I could not let her get away again and I shot after her. Within moments I was at her side, running stride for stride. She was not running as fast as she could; her emotions were affecting her and with her hands pressed against her face, she could not utilize the natural motion of her body to increase her speed.

I concentrated on her, first on her scent like lavender and freesia, remembering the draw of her blood, my singer, so closely tied to sexual desire; then the scent of her during human arousal, her teenage hormones driving me insane with lust and with each moment I resisted her, the intensity of my desires would increase and finally Bella in my arms as my wife, completing the act that would bind us as a married couple, caving in to Bella's desires despite my fears, controlling myself so that I could not only give her pleasure, but find my own release.

I had slowed, falling well behind Bella, imagining her body, her soft, warm human body. How, after our initial mounting, I took her again and again, as much as she could humanly take. We never varied our positions, never attempted anything new, I was too fearful to try and she was too conscious of the power she welded when she would rise to her hands and knees, spreading her legs, releasing her scent, encouraging me, begging me to fill her, wanting me deeper…harder….opening herself up to the deposit of my seed.

I barely acknowledged the ache of my arousal when I smelled her circling back, her desire undeniable, feeding my own. Now she was focused on me, her eyes were drawn to me, the hungry in them directed at me and I could only respond as she crouched in front of me, her steps synchronizing with mine, our mating dance, no less instinctive as any that could be found on a wildlife TV show. If I felt a fluttering of jealousy that her attentions were displayed in similar fashion only minutes earlier with a completely different vampire, it was quickly suppressed with the power of having taken what was rightfully mine before a mounting had occurred. I was the dominant one and I would take my mate once and for all. She would be mine for all time from this day forward; of this I had no doubt and her attentions would never be focused on another male again.

I felt her desire, her need and as was the case with the scene I witnessed in the clearing, I let her come to me. I'd always had control, always been able to beat my instincts back and let my humanness rule me. I was on par with Carlisle in that respect, but I had to let that part of me go, couldn't think about this coupling as a human. We were just animals, uncivilized and appalling lacking in discretion. Proper etiquette and human appropriateness would not help me or her and so I pushed away all thoughts, forgot about the vampire in the trees that might very well be watching us now and concentrated on the beautiful women before me, her ripped clothing exposing enticing flesh, the swell of her breast, a glimpse of a nipple, not as rosy and pink as human Bella, but achingly desirable all the same.

My jaw locked, I clenched my teeth, snorting as a particularly strong gust of wind filled my nose and I forced my lips apart licking at the air, my eyes closed in utter bliss. She was near; her breath was against my face as she too drew in the scent from my body that called to her. I opened my eyes when I felt the first touch of her lips against my throat. Slowly I raised my hands holding them still, letting her rub herself against them flinching as she nipped at my neck and growled.

I remained frozen, waiting, not wanting to scare her off when I had her so close and it was only when I felt her hand between my legs that I knew she wouldn't run, that she'd found the instrument that could quell the burn. Her murmurs of desire and need were what I longed to hear and I reached out pulling her to me roughly, not in an embrace, but a compelling urge to feel her body against mine, wanting to thrust against her, releasing the need that was becoming a painful reminder of my ultimate objective. She was growling, biting at my neck, her legs had straddled my thigh and she was rubbing against me, demanding my attention which I slowly, very slowly reciprocated.

I cupped her bare breast in my hand; her flesh felt as warm to me as it had when she was human. We lost nothing in her transformation to vampire; everything about her was the same to me, except for the burning thirst in my throat and the feeling of terror I felt that I would lose control and hurt her. Now I had no such fears and I gripped her breast, pinching it, drawing a cry of pleasure and a warning growl from her lips; and I liked it, answering her with one of my own. My other hand tore at the fabric that still covered her, leaving her topless and then with both hands I kneaded her, pinching and pulling roughly, feeling my desire increase with every snarl, every bite, every thrust of her heat against my thigh.

When her hands became more purposeful, gripping my member, pulling at it impatiently through the thin fabric, I pushed her away, sending her staggering back several feet. I'm not sure what motivated me, why I felt this confident rush and the need to express my control, but for a change I didn't question myself, didn't review and analyze every emotion I was feeling. Bella crouched and hissed at me, but her delicious smell didn't subside. She wanted me as much as I did her. As I hoped, she sprung at me and I caught her in my arms, gripping her hair and forcing her head back when she attempted to bite me again. So far she hadn't broken my skin, but I had little doubt she would if I baited her too much. I didn't relish the pain of a bite any more than I wanted her to feel regret for the scar that would be with me for all time.

I lifted her up in my arms, my hand still in her hair and pressed my mouth against her skin, feeling her relax slightly, but it was only when my mouth found her breast that I felt our connection. Growling softly, I nursed on the nipple as she clawed at my shoulder her fingers digging into me painful, whimpered murmurs emanating from her lips. I felt the throbbing in my groin, I wouldn't last long, but I wouldn't rush what would be the first mating of the rest of our eternal life together. Feeling that my mouth and occasionally my teeth would keep her still in my arms, I released her hair and slip my hand down her back ripping at what remained of her bloody clothing until she was completely exquisitely nude in my arms. She pressed herself against me, moaning with need, drawing her legs up and around my waist, thrusting herself against me and protesting through frustrated moans when I released her nipple. But I was only moving to the other one and devoured her breast, sucking in as much as my mouth would hold before slowly releasing it, teasing the tip of the puckered bud with my lips. My fingers slid down around the curve of her buttocks and between her legs, tentatively touching her in the core of her femininity, feeling her heat and desire as she frantically worked herself against my invading digits.

No words were spoken during the prelude to our coupling. We were little more than animals fulfilling the bestial needs of our bodies so there would be nothing that could be expressed through dialogue that we didn't already know, feel and understand. Only the fabric of my trousers kept Bella from securing herself on me, her need was not dictated by position, only the thickness and length of my appendage could provide her relief, but I was not going to be denied my right as the male member of this pairing to take what was mine in the most primal of fashions.

Abruptly, I released Bella's breast and she cried out in displeasure when I broke free of the grip of her legs around my waist. Before she could pounce on me again, I flipped her around in my arms and forced her down on the ground, her growls changed from frustration to titters of anticipated delight. Dropping to my knees behind her, I pulled myself free of my trousers and practicing control like I never had before, I teased her with the length of my maleness, my hips thrusting forward and back simulating a mounting without the penetration. She growled and moaned beneath me, arching her back pressing her rump back, crying out as I tormented her.

I could hold back no longer. My hips starting to thrust of their own volition and even though I held the dominant position it was Bella that completed the act by wiggling her hips and sinking lower to catch me. I gasped as I slid into her, her accompanying moans spurred me on and I began thrusting into the warmth that drew me, a moth to a flame; first long slow strokes, then harder rapid ones, driving her forward, ignoring her screams, delighting in the slick tunnel of her love, feeling no different than my human Bella's sweet center only this time I had no fear that I would hurt her.

I held her hips firmly trying to control the depth and tempo of my thrusts and when I couldn't contain her, I slid my arms up her back griping her shoulders, pulling her back to me, my hips pumping furiously into her as she grunted and growled and snarled beneath me. But it was only when I felt the pressure in my testicles and the first ripple of my orgasm that Bella screamed my name, her body shuddering in pleasure clamping down on my invading member, her muscles so much stronger, constricting around my maleness, milking it, her body instinctively pulling my fluid into her.

I held her around the waist long after I expelled the last of my semen into her, feeling intense relief that I finally held her, my mate in my arms. She relaxed under me, no sign of the paranoid spiteful newborn in sight, but had it worked? Did my Bella finally recognize me as her mate or was I just a release for her highly sensitized sexual need?

"Bella, my love, talk to me." I slid from her and sat back on my haunches, my exhilarated feeling quickly disintegrating as Bella lay motionless beneath me. "Please Bella."

Slowly she untangled herself from my legs and rolled on her back, but her face held none of the rage of the weeks since her turn. Her eyes though still reddish in color were tranquil and content and a small smile played on her lips.

"Thank you Edward, I remember now," she said lazily. She lay with her hand over her head, pulling at her hair and I marveled at her uninhibited behavior.

"We're mates Bella," I said cautiously.

She smiled slowly. "Yes baby I know. I love you."

Leaning over her, I kissed her tenderly on the lips and let her pull me down on top of her. Bella was back, my Bella was back. Thank God.

So content was I lying in Bella's naked embrace that I completely forgot about the vampire that almost enticed my mate to couple with him until he spoke from the trees.

"Well done, Edward. Tell Carlisle I'll stop back for a visit after I see Eleazar. I hear he has some females that aren't as volatile as your Bella." Laughter.

* * *

"That's it, that's him! That's the rotten bastard that almost…he almost…you have to call Eleazar right now." I practically screamed at Carlisle, trying to ignore the amused expression that crossed his face from time to time. He was flicking through his memories of all the vampires he knew finally hitting on the one that had almost violated my Bella.

"Ahhh Nigel. I should have guessed; he enjoys carnal pleasures more than most and still hasn't found a mate it seems," Carlisle said thoughtfully, but I noticed that his face was anything but alarmed. He had that expression on his face; I'd seen it before, usually following one of Alice's visions of a visit from one of his old friends. He was looking forward to Nigel's visit.

"Absolutely not. I forbid it. There is no way that…that man is coming anywhere near this house again. I'll kill him." This time I did scream ignoring the bombardment of questioning thoughts from the others in the house and Bella's whimpers from our room.

"Edward, enough. When he comes you can leave, problem solved. He won't stay long." Carlisle was not rising to the bait, but he looked annoyed. I knew what was coming if I didn't get myself under control.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I thought I would appeal to reason. "Bella can't travel yet, she's still a newborn. When do you think he might come back?"

"Soon. Carmen thinks Nigel is a bad influence on Eleazar so the visit won't last long and I didn't say anything about Bella going anywhere, just you." His absolute refusal to sympathize with a highly inappropriate visit from this scoundrel was unbelievable to me.

I opened and shut my mouth several times trying to find words that wouldn't land me on my hands and knees, but as it turned out, I didn't need to speak.

_Edward, relax. You've coupled with Bella; she is yours for all time. Nothing Nigel could do would draw Bella from your side. What Nigel did was not wrong. He found a newborn alone and he tried to defuse the situation in a way that was safe for both of them. He wouldn't have known that she was your mate and he was not trying to steal her from you. You should be thankful it was he that found Bella or we could be mourning her loss rather than celebrating your mating._

"He almost killed her. He almost killed me. If Bella hadn't intervened, I would be dead." I would play to his sympathies as a father. "I assume Esme wouldn't want him in her house if he killed me or would I be wrong?"

I wasn't sure what was more aggravating, the laughter from my family from various places in the house or Carlisle rolling his eyes at my dramatics.

"Let's not worry about this now. Nigel has a tendency to get distracted. He may not come at all."

"Fine." Storming from the room, I brushed off Esme's hand and bound up the stairs to my room. Immediately, Bella's scent calmed me. For as horrible as this day had been, it was perhaps the best day of my life. Bella was mine, mine forever and what's more I was hers, she saw me as her mate and would love me for all time.

"Edward, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault," she whispered, rushing into my arms. "I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be ridiculous, love. You were only reacting to your instincts and if I'd been keeping a closer eye on you, Nigel would never have gotten near you." I kissed the top of her head, then forehead, then nose and finally her sweet mouth, devouring her lips, relishing her taste and touch as she pulled me to her hungrily, painfully. I pushed her against the door, conveniently shutting it and thrust against her spread legs. She was dressed in a lovely blue dress, a dress that was soon in shreds on the floor beneath her feet. As I entered her for the second time that day, I understood the uncontrollable desire that Emmett had tried to explain to me during his newborn days when he and Rosalie mated with uncontrolled abandon, often several times a day. My desire for my mate was overpowering and as Bella eagerly wrapped her legs around my waist trapping me in place, I knew it was the same for her. As a human, she'd been shy about engaging in intercourse when my family was within earshot, but it was obvious by our grunts and growls, that neither one of us had any problem with PDAs any longer.

* * *

It was the laughter that finely set me off. I was use to my brothers teasing, had experienced Emmett's crudeness nonstop for almost seventy years. With Jasper's arrival things hadn't improved and now there were two of them to provoke me. It was the timing more than anything; still nursing my wounded ego that had a stranger connecting with my mate before I did, guiding me in a way that I should have already known and witnessing the act despite my calls for privacy. Then being subject to Carlisle's scolding with everyone including Bella within earshot was almost more than I could take. But I did have Bella and I did have a distraction, that was until Alice decided she needed borrow Bella for another fitting, her body had slimmed down and toned up after her change and she needed a new wardrobe according to Alice.

So now with my mate not around to distract me and the girls otherwise occupied, Emmett's innuendos and Jasper's occasional snickering was taking its toll.

"Not sure why you're so touché Bro. You've been complaining about Rosalie and I and our noisy lovin' for years. I'm just having a little fun. Lighten up."

"Back off Emmett," I growled.

"I was a little worried about you. Sex with a human is one thing, sex with a vampire, well that's entirely differently, but I see your still walking."

"Emmett, that's enough," Esme called down from upstairs.

Great, now Esme had to defend me. I decided to ignore him, but if it wasn't his mouth it was his thoughts.

_So how many positions have you tried so far? _

Still ignoring him.

_Ahhh, still only going doggie style. Don't worry Bro; you just need a little practice. Those females can be nasty as newborns. Better to keep them on their hands and knees in the…_

Perhaps if the incident from earlier in the day hadn't happened I would have responded differently, but I was still hurting, still humiliated and mortified that I had witnesses to my ineptness. But it would end now. I may not have been able kill Nigel, in fact he very soon could be a guest in our house, but by all that was in me, I was done with Emmett's childish teasing.

I charged him as he sat with his back to me on the railing surrounding our porch staring out over the great lake, waiting for Rosalie. He managed to turn at the precise moment I sprung, but it was too late, I had him down on his back before he could defend himself, my teeth snapping dangerously close to his neck.

"Have you lost your mind, Edward. Get off me," Emmett said rather nonchalantly given that my teeth were only inches from his vulnerable neck.

Now that I had him down, I felt like a bigger fool, unable to comprehend how I'd arrived in this predicament, completely overreacting…again. None of us took Emmett's comments seriously; it only encouraged him to pursue it further. Even Carlisle's reprimands failed to distract him for long, so I wasn't sure what I could do to change a temperament that was so concretely defined.

Jasper's snarls from somewhere in the house drew my attention. I wasn't worried about an attack from both fronts. Both Emmett and I were susceptible to Jasper's influence and if he chose to use it, neither of us would be immune to it. Emmett would be as defenseless as I. But I didn't want Jasper to sap me of my virility just when Bella and I had reconnected; still I had to make a point.

"No more talk about Bella and I, do you hear me Emmett. I won't have you embarrassing her with your vulgar comments," I hissed poking my finger into his chest for emphasis.

"Okay…okay, just having a little fun." He held up his hands in surrender.

I jumped up and spun around, preparing to remove myself from any further confrontations with my annoying brother by retrieving Bella and disappearing into our room, Alice be damned, but I had only taken a couple of steps before I heard a snicker.

"I wouldn't try sixty-nining it until you know her bite reflexes are under control."

To say I took Emmett by surprise was an understatement. I never made a sound when I turned on him for the second time. He had just gotten to his feet and was brushing himself off, paying no mind to me, obviously assuming I was all bluster and no bite, but he was wrong.

My full on silent charge threw him across the yard dredging a crater up in the middle of our long narrow driveway. The explosive noise of my assault was deafening even by human standards. I was barely conscious of the thoughts of my family so focused was I on the vampire in my grasp barely able to keep me at arm's length.

_Jezus, get it under control. You're starting to tick me off._

But I was beyond words of reason, beyond remembering it was my brother I held in a death grip in my arms. He was Nigel attempting to steal my mate away from me; he was every male vampire I'd ever known and every one that I'd yet to meet and all were dangerous to Bella, my Bella. He needed to be destroyed. I drove him across the yard, my legs pumping, keeping him off balance, snapping at his neck that was just beyond my reach, his massive hand planted in my chest, letting himself be driven by my momentum to keep me from closing the necessary four inches to his throat. He stopped verbal communication realizing I was beyond it and let his own instincts rule him turning himself into a formidable adversary.

I heard the screams of the females, but only Bella's stood out above the rest. But her cries of confusion and panic only spurred me on, the need to protect her against whatever danger she was reacting to was overpowering and I wasn't of clear mind to understand it was me that was driving her alarm.

I could do little to stop Emmett as he gave up trying to throw me from him and instead forced us into a series of rolls trying to break my hold on his shoulder and throat, of which I could clearly see was his intention and could do nothing to stop him. Years of wrestling him had shown me his weaknesses, but it was he that benefited from those friendly and some less than friendly battles. He knew how I could use my gift and how he could disable it. Sending us into a succession of rolls took no conscious thought from him and utilized his strength whilst weakening my grip.

I was conscious of Jasper's warning growls very near, but even he was too late to stop us using his beta status unless he actively accosted us first, dangerous when two vampires were already engaged in a all out brawl, but he would not remain inactive he would try and separate us, it was his duty, his responsibility to keep the coven stable, the females safe. But he wasn't the only one that might control us and I flinched when I heard the sound of his car and the invasion of his thoughts that didn't appear to be directed at me.

_Is it that time then?_

I was vaguely aware of the slam of a car door.

"No, leave them Jasper, let's see where this leads." Carlisle's voice firm but not alarmed. He was near the voices of the females and from time to time I could hear his words of comfort directed at Bella.

Jasper's growl continued sporadically, but I took no further notice of it as my grip around Emmett's neck was jarred loose when we crashed into a pile of rock. Seizing on his advantage, I felt his hand close around my throat and his breath against my neck. His thoughts were blank, he was reacting on instinct, not a conscious strategy, my advantage was lost and I would be at the mercy of his superior strength.

I might as well have been a rag doll in his arms when he yanked me to my feet, lifting me in the air, denying me the leverage I would need to break free of him. Only a quick jerk of my head kept Emmett's teeth from finding their mark on my neck and for the first time I felt I was no longer predator, but prey. I roared out in frustration trying to throw him off me, struggling wildly like an animal caught in a trap and like every animal I'd ever caught and killed, I couldn't seem to stop myself even when I realized that those very struggles were doing much to drive his urges. He was feeding off of the need to squelch the frenzied vampire in his grip and he would do it by exterminating me.

Too caught up in my own survival to take much notice of those around me, I was quite unexpectedly flung loose of Emmett's grip and tossed over the side of the rocky hundred foot cliff and into the depths of Lake Superior. I came up spitting a mouth full of water and it renewed my efforts to take down the vampire that had continuously and without apology tormented me for the better part of three quarters of a century. I roared my intentions scaling the cliffs in a few bounds, prepared to meet Emmett head on, but it was only when I cleared the rocky cliff that I realized my mistake.

I should have been listening to Emmett's thoughts; if I had I would have understood that he was no longer engaging me, no longer concerned about me at all. For a startling moment I hesitated, taking in the scene before me. Emmett was on the ground with Jasper standing over him, not holding him, not touching him at all, but his stance spoke for his domination and it was all he needed to keep Emmet under control. So caught up in that visual image I didn't see, hear or smell my own subduer until I was hit full on by a rock hard body.

Unlike Jasper who was relying solely on his rank and the power of his scent to control Emmett, Carlisle overwhelmed me with all of that plus the momentum of his driving body. I was down before I had a chance evade him, before I even had a chance to hold my breath and that was all he needed. It was all over.

Later, I would feel Carlisle's attack on me was excessive. Hadn't Emmett showed an equal amount of rage and aggression once I engaged him yet he was only subject to Jasper's dominant posturing? I on the other hand was dealt with under the full wrath of power from the coven leader. I was beneath him in an instant sucking in the overwhelming stink of his arousal before I even realized it. My body was no longer under my control. I was completely Carlisle's and he was not going to stop with a mere warning this time.

His hand clamped around my neck forcing my face into the ground, his other hand was ripping at the clothing separating him and me and this time he wasn't interested in preserving his clothing tearing the front of his trousers open frantically. I barely had time to adjust my position and spread my legs for him when he was forcing himself into me, groaning as my hard flesh folded around him encasing the length of his manhood in willing submission. His growls increased in volume as he thrust into me, not holding back, ramming at me aggressively releasing his own pent up needs with every thrust. I braced myself against the ground with my elbows, concentrating only on satisfying him, my need to surrender to his appetite for dominance taking precedence over everything else. My own member was engorged, but I put aside my own release in an attempt to gratify him. My response to his stench, to his presence, his posture and his obvious demands was all I existed for at that moment and I rocked back against him, clenching my muscles, milking him, groaning out my own pleasure when I felt the first rush of his venom shoot into me.

His grunts were timed in concert with the spurt of his semen, his hips slapping against me in a thunderous crescendo of a violent assault of bestial lust until he was spent. He held no compassion for me this time, his body was rigid, his organ remained firmly embedded in me impaling me in place, refusing to relinquish his dominance over me and I could only whimper out my submission to appease him trying to suppress the quivering in my body that threatened to turn into a purr as I was assaulted again and again with the stimulating sensation of his venom as it coursed through my lower regions, the effects long lasting and completely incapacitating. When he bent over me near my neck my body tensed in preparation for the bite I knew I deserved, but instead of pain of body I was forced to acknowledge my transgressions.

"I will only let you up if you can show that you have control. Do you have control?" he hissed against my ear.

I nodded meekly, my face buried in my forearms.

"Do you understand what brought you here beneath me?"

Again I nodded.

"I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I hadn't gotten home in time."

I grunted as Carlisle reinforced his words with another thrust of his hips.

Behind him I was aware of the others. They were silent, but their thoughts left no doubt what their opinion was of me at the moment. Only Emmett and Esme were not planning my demise and Bella appeared mortified by my position, but curious about what brought me there.

"Pay attention, Edward," another thrust and my responding grunt.

_I am very aware of your heightened sexual state which in turn makes you less tolerant of those around you, but if you are going to exist as part of this family you must get your aggression under control._

I felt my shoulders slump and my head sag into my arms. Was Carlisle going to drive me from my family? And what of Bella, she would come with me, but how could I manage her as a newborn away from the others when I could barely control her within our own territory. It had disaster written all over it.

I felt Carlisle's arm around my chest, pulling me up; felt him shift, the pressure of his organ still a formidable instrument in controlling me.

_Don't be ridiculous, Edward._

Carlisle had some mind reading abilities of his own.

_I'm not going to make you leave us, but if I have too force you under me every single day to soften your behavior, I will. Don't doubt that. I can't say Bella would be too happy. Coupling during your first weeks together is a bonding experience and quite helpful in keeping a newborn under control, but I doubt you would be able to mount her successfully if you are constantly forced to submit to me._

I nodded sighing with understanding and relief, but abruptly his thoughts shifted and I felt myself buck against him in response.

_You need your release, don't you?_

I whimpered.

_You have my permission to obtain it._

I wasn't sure what that meant. My hands remained trapped with my head pressed into them. Carlisle showed no inclination to disengage himself from me which left me on my knees with no way to generate the friction I needed.

When I made no move to relieve myself, Carlisle sighed and in his thoughts I heard him ponder how I managed to mate with Bella at all, but I didn't have a chance to react to his words or feel even the tiniest amount of humiliation when his hand closed around me generating a cry of surprise and relief from me.

Slowly at first, then with greater urgency, I thrust into his fist as he tightened his grip around me and the rocking stimulated me further as I felt him lengthen inside of me, his desire renewed. A mewling sound spilled from my lips and I pushed back against him searching for a release that was completely different from pursuing and taking my mate, but the pleasure of passive acceptance and willing submission to a dominate vampire was equally pleasurable and hardly comparable

Just as I was approaching my climax Carlisle abruptly pulled himself from me and released my member. He was attempting to control his own desires to further his power over me and reinstate it to himself, not allowing himself to succumb to simple pleasures of the body. It was an exercise in control and an expression of power. I was unable to exert the same such control, my hips pumping uncontrollably, aggressively thrusting into the air, doing little to complete my release and I was loathe to reach down and manipulate myself as Alice's thoughts suggested I do. One didn't take kindly to being prompted to masturbate by a sister.

Instead I pressed myself into the ground and a few punctuated thrusts later, I deposited my venomous semen into the mother earth herself, collapsing as my body quivered and convulsed, still influenced by Carlisle's venom buried deep within me. Humiliated by my behavior and unable to face my family, I buried my face into the ground and refused to move and perhaps respecting my discomfort, I heard them gradually disperse and only Emmett's thoughts of a payback managed to draw me from my lethargy. I rolled over onto my back.

Bella was immediately standing over me, her fingers pressed against her lips. I couldn't imagine what she thought, but if what Carlisle always told me was true, she would understand on some primal level what had just occurred without any further explanation from me which is exactly why I tried to explain.

"Bella, I…I…I'm sorry you had to witness that. It was my fault…I was upset and Emmett just wouldn't quit. Carlisle did what he had too. He says you will…"

"Enough Edward, you don't have to say anything else." Before I could utter a single word of protest, she was straddling me, her new dress billowing around us as she settled on me.

She rocked against me for a moment, testing my ability to accommodate her, already revealing that she understood the power of Carlisle's influence on me and his ability to steal my manhood, but my desire for her and our newfound sexuality trumped his dominant influences and I eagerly responded to her carnal ministering. Her lips were on mine before I could say another word, her tongue hungrily exploring my mouth and I lay back at the mercy of her frantic hands and mouth, feeling her heat against my much abused member and relishing her desire as much as musing over our uninhibited behavior. Given the lectures and abuse I'd given Emmett over the years, I felt an apology was in order. I felt no qualms about taking my mate in the middle of the yard or rather having her take me. I also thought it important that I share with him that this was position number three and the day wasn't even over yet.

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_**Author Notes:**_

_*****Nominated for the The Vampie Awards - Best Slash*** Voting closes February 28. .com/vampawards**_

_**I have to admit I'm not completely sure that this chapter fits with the others, but I wanted to tie some of the dominant/submissive behaviors into Edward and Bella's relationship as requested by readers and reviewers. But in some ways the first four oneshots read like educational material and this one reads like porn, or is it just me. ;o)**_

_**I also had requests to have Carlisle reestablish himself over Edward or one of the others, so I was able to incorporate that into this story. If you are wondering about Edward and Emmett's confrontation and why it didn't progress into a dominate-submissive encounter; well Carlisle waited to see if it would turn into that type of confrontation but he and Jasper interfered when it got too aggressive. **_


	6. Deception  Part One

_**DISCLAIMER: SM owns all Twilight characters and settings. No copyright infringement intended.**_

_**WARNING: Contains suggestions of sexual dominance & slash and references to spousal abuse. Read with caution.**_

_**After suffering through severe writers block, I finally just started writing. Unfortunately, once I got going I couldn't stop so now I've created this colossal chapter that I'm going to have to split up into two chapters. No worries, the second part is already done and I'm just finishing up editing it so it should be posted in a few days.**_

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Edward's POV

Normally when her scent touched my nostrils it registered in my mind like a passing afterthought, barely rising to my consciousness, triggering nothing more than a slight irritation in me hardly worthy of my consideration. It could have been an old scent collecting in the damp undergrowth, released by a persistent wind or one that had carried with the breezes from several miles away. It was not a scent that would elicit any kind of alarm in me or trigger a protective instinct to defend my mate and family or even one that might arouse my curiosity. It was a scent as familiar to me as my own, one I'd live with for decades, one that I loathed as much as I loved and the contradictory emotions it brought forth in me were as confusing as our relationship.

But on this day, when the first tendrils of that scent triggered the translucent image of its owner, every muscle in my body tensed and a release of what could only be described as vampiric adrenalin heightened all my senses. I could not read her mind; she was within my range but her thoughts were nothing but a hum of electricity like the static from a radio and I was the tuner searching for the station, trying to find her frequency.

It shouldn't have surprised me that she was using all of her abilities to hide even the most mundane train of thoughts used mask something significant. She wanted to give me nothing to grasp onto, nothing to distract me, nothing to pull me back to my conscious self, assuming that I'd given over to my instincts, was completely lost in tracking her mate, retaining none of my abilities to concentrate on several tasks at once that was so uniquely vampire. But she had misinterpreted my abrupt departure and assumed that I was acting solely on instinct when in fact, I'd only been following him, keeping my options open, prepared to break off any spontaneous attack if the situation wasn't completely advantageous to me.

I didn't need to see her thoughts to understand her intentions. She was pursuing me in a futile attempt to stop me, using whatever methods were at her disposal and in complete defiance of Carlisle, ignoring his well communicated assertion that females should not interfere in acts of dominance and submission. Her contempt for Carlisle's convictions irritated me even though my own past with Carlisle was filled with rebellious behavior and acts of outright disobedience. Perhaps my sudden conciliatory attitude had to do with his own dominance over me and my complete submission to him which invariably put me on his side against anyone that choose to defy him.

More specifically that meant Rosalie who was now unrivaled within our family as the instigator of trouble with her insolent behavior on the rare occasion that Carlisle tried to exert any type of influence over her in matters pertaining to the coven.

I abandoned any further pursuit of Emmett who was tracking a large prey animal, likely a bear, though I'd yet to run across the scent myself and concentrated solely on Rosalie whose scent was becoming more concentrated as she got closer. I could not risk a repeat of the near disastrous interference of Alice in the middle of Jasper and my own struggle for dominance. I still shuddered to imagine how I might have hurt Alice inadvertently, so caught up in my own raging bestial passions that demanded that I destroy any vampire around me that did not submit to me. Alice wouldn't have submitted; females didn't submit to males and in my frenzied state I wouldn't have been able to discern the difference between her as my sister and her as the mate of the male that sought to mount me.

Fortunately, Jasper was her mate, a skilled fighter, a seasoned warrior and he'd quickly switched from dominant-submissive behaviors to an all out defense of his mate which meant a fight to death and nothing less. But I had to give him credit. Despite battling every instinct that drove him to kill me in those brief moments when my attentions had turned from him to Alice, he was able to pull back from that blind fury when he saw my willingness to submit to him and complete the coupling that would ensure my own survival. His strength had saved not only me but likely saved himself for I had little doubt that the guilt of killing me would have rendered him a shell of his former self and he certainly wouldn't have remained with Carlisle.

I sighed.

Could my own battles for dominance be so simple and straightforward as Carlisle, both in words and memories had alluded too. It didn't appear that way with Rosalie charging in to blatantly involve herself in a situation that had nothing to do with her. With my luck, Emmett would pick up his mate's scent and circle back and I would be forced to listen to his snickering as Rosalie lambasted me for my immature sneaky behavior.

I wasn't sure about immature. If Carlisle and Jasper's memories where any indication of how it worked, a male could use whatever means available to him to take down another male and if that included tracking him during a hunt, surprising him at his weakest moment when his attentions were elsewhere, so much the better. Jasper had even been so bold as to interrupt a male-female coupling when he determined the pair was not mated, leaving the female to find another male that wasn't otherwise occupied to satisfy her. It would hardly be immature of me to initiate a confrontation that would offer me the greatest possible opportunity for success in achieving what I'd considered my rightful position within the family.

Carlisle was without question the coven leader and even as I was driven by an uncontrollable urge to challenge him, it was right that he defeated me and I was thankful in retrospect that he had. Jasper too held significant skills and talents that made his place behind Carlisle a legitimate consequence of our battle and though I always anticipated and looked forward to the day when I would feel the building of tension that would burn like a fire light in my belly, a pressure that could only be relieved through a challenge of his status; I was completely content to remain, if not submissive than at the very least conciliatory to his rank as my beta.

But Emmett, that was another story. Emmett for all his pure physical strengths lacked the traits I looked for in evaluating a leader. His goofball tendencies, inability to take things seriously and annoyingly consistent good nature; all put him at odds with what I envisioned in a leader that I might want to emulate and defer to for guidance and advice. Yet with each passing day, particularly since Bella's change, I found his presence and attitude annoying, his petulant childlike behavior tiresome, his absolute disregard for proper decorum and civility in all matters intolerable and it was getting worse.

His crude teasing when it came to Bella and I would rankle me to the point where I could hardly contain my rage yet I was constantly aware of Carlisle and Jasper, one or the other always near, their thoughts openly chastising me for my inability to contain my emotions. And to some degree I understood their concern and reprimands. I was allowing my emotions to drive me, not my instincts. I was letting my frustration, a byproduct of the desire to dominate another male, get the better of me and my reaction weakened me against Emmett.

Carlisle's mind which was often locked down and impenetrable had shown me glimpses of his preference in the outcome of any altercation between Emmett and I. As coven leader he should hold no favorites, have no expectations who would be deployed and in what rank beneath him. For all his power over the male members of his coven he could do very little in determining how we fraternized with each other. But I saw in brief flickers of stray thoughts that it was his desire that I take Emmett, mount him, make Emmett submit to me. Yet he had a real fear that I might fail; that my emotions as volatile and overwhelming as any human seventeen year old boy would control me and ultimately result in my failure to mount Emmett, who might act like a child but had more control and a better handle on his feelings as the young man he was before his change.

My need for Carlisle's approval had not changed with his mounting of me except perhaps to make our bond even stronger and I desperately wanted to fulfill his desire to see me take Emmett which is what compelled me to track him when we were supposed to be out hunting.

But now Rosalie was interfering, _again_ and once _again_ I was forced to re-evaluate my original strategy. Unable to read her mind I couldn't know what she was up to, but my assumption was that I would be condemned for my cowardly behavior until I was reduced to retaliating in an ungentlemanly fashion, thus giving her the satisfaction of outmaneuvering me and disrupting my plans for the evening. And worse still, she would reveal to Emmett my intentions and no more would Emmett hunt without looking over his shoulder. My advantage of a surprise attack would be lost in any future confrontation.

I came across the scent of a small herd of deer and quickly latched onto it hoping that I could convince her that my presence here in the woods was nothing more than to hunt, never mind that I'd passed several such scents of our prey over the past several miles in pursuit of Emmett. It was a weak excuse in any event. Bella, months after her change, still needed to hunt every few days to keep the thirst at bay and I accompanied her more often than not. I did not need to take my own separate hunting trips to satisfy my own thirst.

Rosalie would never believe that I was out for an evening run by myself, leaving Bella behind. With Jasper and Alice in Denali and Carlisle at the hospital I would have relished the time in the house with less minds to listen too. I'd misjudged her when I drifted away only minutes after Emmett, thinking she wouldn't notice my absence, too distracted with helping Esme and Bella select frabric for new living room furniture. What excuse had she given for leaving them? I hoped it was a good one. I shuddered at the image of a newborn Bella tracking Rosalie. What a mess. Why was everything involving me always so difficult? Despite my good intentions I was always…

The loud concussion of rock against rock was a distant ringing in my ears as I was propelled across the wide expanse of the clearing I'd just emerged into. I had little time to react in a defensive manner as I tumbled end over end when I was hit again; the force of the second assault throwing me into the air, the raucous sounds of tree tops splintering as my body hit them was on par with the rolling thunder of a huge electrical storm.

_Rosalie!_

Her scent, where before was just an occasional assault on my senses, engulfed me, but what surprised me even more was the pure rankness of it with only the underlying familiar lilac smell giving credence that it was her scent at all. I grappled with her arms as she tried to pin me to the ground, our bodies undulating through the trees as each of us fought for an advantage. I needed no further confirmation of her intentions. I saw firsthand, her plans for me through her thoughts. Her mind was wide open to me now. She meant to do me serious harm and this knowledge alone gave me pause as I struggled to comprehend what was happening.

Never…_never_ did I expect to be physically assaulted by Rosalie. Not when I hadn't even encountered Emmett yet. Her interference in any skirmish between Emmett and I would have been a bad enough breach of conduct, instinctual or otherwise, especially if it were only a struggle for rank. To attack me unprovoked was unthinkable, even for her and in complete defiance of everything Carlisle had built this family on.

She was acting like an out of control newborn nomad, one that didn't have the advantage that came with time and the structure a civilized coven offered. My hisses and growls replaced any verbal attempts to communicate with her and would convey all the obscenities that remained locked in my throat, my astonishment at her conduct rendering me speechless.

Once the shock factor wore off I was able to ascertain her intent. She was trying to injury me, to weaken me, cripple me to an extent that would allow her mate every possible advantage when she called out to him. Her strategy was detestable given that she was deliberately trying to disable me so that her mate could dominate me, his victory tainted by the direct manipulation of his mate; the coven's stability undermined by her interference.

I felt her breath against my neck, heard the snapping of her teeth near my ear. In her thoughts, I saw her intent; saw the bite to the throat that would drain me of the venom that gave me the strength I needed to top Emmett. After tearing into my throat she would leave me injured, the venom leaking from the gaping wound. There would be no one to seal it for me. I was alone in these woods. And though it would heal on its own, it would take time. I would remain in a suspended state, too weak to stagger home, but consciousness wouldn't leave me; I would be aware of Emmett's approach.

He would be drawn to the sounds of his wife's scent, to my scent and he would come upon me injured and vulnerable. I would see a series of conflicting emotions flicker over his face; confusion, fear, suspicion, anger, cumulating into rage as he came to the conclusion that it was I that attacked his mate, I that was the instigator. But undoubtedly common sense would prevail and he would smell her scent still very much alive and well, drifting off into the trees where she disappeared after having set the stage, leaving the bait; an injured me in the clearing.

And then it would occur to Emmett that he'd never seen me so weak, so vulnerable, so incapable of defending myself. His mind would flicker over the only other time he held such a significant advantage over me. That day several months ago when Carlisle took me for the first time; when I was still in a daze, unable to figure out what had just happened, still trying to reconcile the situation in my mind, hardly aware of Emmett and Jasper's presence until I smelled their own unique stench; lust not unlike when they coupled with their mates. But where the scent of their matings had no pull over me, the muskiness that invaded my nostrils that day drew me in. I was still in a submissive state, weakened by Carlisle's assault and that weakness always brought out the instinct to dominate in other males. So just as Emmett had seen my docile disposition that day, he would see it now.

His posture would change, his scent would change, his eyes would turn black, his lips would pull back from his teeth and he would open his mouth tasting the air. At first, injured and frantic with thoughts of escape or ways to avoid the inevitable, I would be oblivious to it; his smell, the odor that could leave me incapable of resisting him. I might try to stand, to run; I was so much faster and I would understand that there was a time to fight and time to flee and now was the time to flee, preferably upwind, but I would falter.

It might be the injury that still leaked the only fluid left in my body; the progress towards healing rapid even without the venom of a mate or coven member to heal it; but the injury was severe and with Emmett's abrupt appearance I would be too drained to defend myself. My defeated appearance would release his stench like a fine mist once he understood my fragility and it would draw me like a drug. At first it wouldn't be about surrendering to it or submitting to him in anyway. I would try to fight, springing to my feet, using my gift to outmaneuver him, remaining consistently out of his reach, giving my wound time to heal, but eventually my instincts would be my undoing.

Without consciously thinking about it, my own mouth would open and I would drink him in with all my senses. I would become careless, forgetting my weakened state, ignoring all the signs that screamed at me to run and instead I would look for his weaknesses, letting him draw me in, my feral impulses ruling me, demanding that I force the male in front of me to submit. If Emmett were smart he would give me an obvious inroad, turn his back, become distracted, even charge me letting his thoughts give away his intentions.

It would all be a ruse, a way for him to get close, because ultimately he was stronger and so much more so now that I was injured. But it would only be when I felt his large hand clamp around my throat, fell him lift me up off my feet, yanking my body against him, squeezing me in an uncontrollable hunger that he could no longer disregard or think past or control, that I would know all was lost.

That realization wouldn't be met with regrets or anguish. It would come eagerly enough. I would just have to breathe in his scent, smell his lust, feel the hardness of his organ against me and I would give in to it willingly, even relishing the role, seeking to satisfy the beast that held me captive and giving no thought to the prospect of having slipped down another notch in rank, no matter that it had all been instigated by one conniving, deceitful, disobedient female who had no business getting in the middle of what was exclusively a male driven domain.

Rushing through her thoughts and filling in the blanks where she hadn't clearly thought it through, empowered me and a roar of pure rage rumbled up from my diaphragm and out my mouth as I threw myself forward onto her giving her an advantage that she wasn't prepared for and using her indecisiveness to break free of her claw like fingers that twisted into the flesh of my upper arms.

"Rosalie, you bitch," I spat, drawing a gasp of surprise from her lips, her eyes widening at my use of profanity. "You'd risk us all…weaken us for your stupid trivial pride."

Now the advantage was mine. I had her pinned to the ground, straddling her midsection forcing her arms under my knees and with a long protracted growl I leaned over her, my face only inches away from hers and closed my fingers around her neck.

For all of Rosalie's audacity in attempting to ambush me, she had only one real advantage over me and she lost it when she failed to sink her teeth into my neck during our tussle. But once I regained my composure, it was all over for her. A male could seldom be destroyed by a female in a one on one encounter unless the female had some outstanding talent as a fighter, still benefited from her newborn strength or had an extraordinary gift. Rosalie had no gift like Alice or I but she could fight. Unfortunately for her, I was trained by the same master so she had no greater skill in sparring and I was stronger. I could also read her mind, so she never really stood a chance against me which made her attack all the more unexpected.

"If Carlisle finds out what you're up to he'll….he'll…"

He'll what? Destroy her? Hardly. Drive her and Emmett off? Not a possibility. It was unlikely that Carlisle would do anything, accepting the consequences in whatever form they evolved into and dealing with repercussions in a logical manner.

"I can't believe you hate me so much that you would deliberately sabotage me," I suddenly felt hurt and betrayed, ridiculous really given that Emmett was her mate and it made sense she would do whatever she could to assist him, even at the risk of destabilizing the coven.

"I'm not trying to sabotage you," she hissed struggling against the death grip I had on her neck. "Let me up."

I ignored her request and gripped tighter. "Than what…why are you doing this? I can see your thoughts; I know what you were planning to do. That's not how it works and you know it. Can you stop thinking about yourself for one second and consider what you almost did. And why? Why would you involve yourself at all? That's what I really don't understand. Have you so little faith in your mate that you have to attack me, weaken me to give him the advantage?"

"You would think that, you idiot. That's not what I was doing at all. Emmett is perfectly capable of taking care of himself."

"Then what…WHAT…WHAT are you trying to do? I SAW your thoughts, Rosalie and in case you've forgotten, I can still read minds."

_Then read this, jackass…_

And in her not so subtle way, she showed me, opened herself up to me, let me see her fears. It wasn't of Emmett taking advantage of an injured me, dominating me which I realized now was only my projection of what I assumed her motivations were. It was me and Emmett squaring off, neither of us injured, both of us with our own unique strengths, his pure physical, mine giving me the ability to see how he would engage me and in Rosalie's thoughts I saw what she really feared. As I watched, my hands loosened from around her throat and I stared straight ahead as if I were watching her thoughts on a giant projection screen in the trees.

With both of us at the top of our game, our standoff would last several hours in Rosalie's estimation, each of us lunging in and backing away, trying to find the other's weakness. Eventually we would rush together and Emmett would gain the advantage, his superior strength would enable him to close his arms around me, leaving me completely immobile in his grasp and just as was my own assumption, we would both be overtaken by our instincts. Emmett given his more favorable position would struggle to turn me so that he was pressed against my back, giving the perception of dominance before I was completely under his control. But that's where Rosalie's thoughts and my expectations parted ways.

Instead of giving in freely, I would fight him wildly, much in the way I had fought Carlisle who had locked me in his arms for hours holding a dominant position over me, but unable to get me to submit to him through position and odor alone. No it wasn't until he bit me _twice_ that I was finally subdued and willing submitted to him. But in Rosalie's mind, I saw Emmett grapple with me only briefly, roaring in frustration when I wouldn't accommodate him and when he bit down to hold me, he didn't stop, the overpowering need to dominate, to take what he thought was rightfully his to take, would challenge his control and unlike with Carlisle, I felt no real desire to submit to him so I would struggle all the more and he would bite down harder and harder…and he didn't have Carlisle's control…

"You think Emmett will hurt me," I said sitting back dumbfounded, forgetting that only moments before my ferocious sister was hell bent on tearing a hole in my throat.

"No. I think Emmett will _kill_ you," Rosalie replied, not making any move to free herself.

And she did think that; I could see it now. Rosalie's attack wasn't instigated out of her desire that her mate outrank me. She was trying to keep me from getting killed.

I jumped to my feet and turned my back on her, too disturbed by the violent images and her perception of my death at the hands of her mate to pay much attention to whether she was about to attack me again, _for my own good_.

"So you assume I will fall to your mate," I said slowly, not sure whether to be insulted or not.

"No. I mean…I guess it's possible, but I haven't really thought about the alternative. I'm not worried about the alternative."

"What the hell are you talking about, what alternative?" I spat, spinning to face her.

She was up on her feet dusting herself off casually not allowing herself to be baited by my growing agitation. "I'm not worried about what will happen if you get Emmett to submit to you. I know you can control yourself. I know you won't hurt him."

Her words rocked me. Never in my life had Rosalie given me a compliment. It was even more shocking than her unprovoked attack on me.

"Why do you think Emmett is….did Alice tell you something? What did she see?" I whispered.

"Nothing. You know that. Alice usually can get no feel for how these altercations are going to play out. It's too spontaneous, too instinctual. Alice hasn't told me anything. But…" Rosalie's eyes darted around, refusing to meet mine.

"What? Just say it."

She pressed her hand to her forehead like she was trying to ward off a headache. "I know how Emmett is. I love him…I do…with all my heart, but he's really not completely in control. He can be dangerous if he's pushed. You don't know what he's capable of. He's never taken anyone before…I'm not sure if he could handle the power."

I was aware that my mouth hanging open and I abruptly closed it. For Rosalie to be speaking negatively about her mate…to me…I couldn't even absorb the ramifications that would have on our relationship.

"And yet you were willing to leave me to his whims, injured and unable to defend myself. That doesn't really speak of your concern for me," I scoffed when I recovered sufficiently from my initial surprise and remembered what brought her out here in the first place.

"Emmett would never willingly hurt you. He loves you as any brother would. It's just when he gets agitated, when he's provoked, when he thinks he might lose, he becomes an entirely different being. And I know you. You wouldn't just give in…you'd fight him."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. It's not like that; we aren't out to kill each other. This isn't about violence."

"So is that why Carlisle had to bite you to restrain you in order to get you to submit to him? Is that why you had to bite Jasper and are you forgetting he almost killed you during that little altercation. If that's not violence than I don't know what is." Rosalie's tone had risen sharply. "And all of you have more control then Emmett."

I didn't know what to say to that. I remembered how I felt as Carlisle and I grappled. I remembered how I wanted, for just the briefest of moments, to kill him. And then there was Jasper. I saw Alice's vision; saw how Jasper deftly removed my head after I turned toward his mate, how he, only through the shear strength of his will, forced himself to get control of his murderous thoughts. Could Rosalie be right? Could Emmett kill me? I knew the answer to that one, but I was still baffled by Rosalie's interference. There was always a possibility of tragic consequence. It was always conceivable that someone could be seriously hurt or killed; both Carlisle and Jasper's memories had suggested as much, but it was a rarity; and why would Rosalie resort to such a drastic solution?

I glanced up and was surprised to find her studying me.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Rosalie's eyes fluttered and for one horrifying moment, I thought she was going to cry.

Instead she turned from me and I waited, assuming she was trying to pull herself together so she could explain her fears, but her actions continued to surprise me and without warning, she slipped her shirt off her shoulders.

"Rosalie…" Her name slipped from my lips in an expulsion of air.

"You can't tell anyone."

"Oh my God, what happened to you?" Again my vampire brain failed me, not keeping pace with what she was revealing to me. The truth was right there in front of me but I was just a few steps behind.

"I mean it Edward; you can't say anything to anyone, including Bella. Alice knows but that's it."

I opened and closed my mouth several times. She knew I would get there and waited patiently, her back still exposed, until I finally did.

Covering her shoulders, her neck and up into her hairline, were crescent shape scars, patterned over and over again in her flesh, no different than Jasper's scars, one on top of the other, dozens of bite marks too numerous and layered to count accurately.

"Emmett did this to you!" I exclaimed, horror filling me.

"I mean it Edward. If you run to Carlisle about this I swear to God I will kill you. It's not as bad as it looks, I mean it is, but not how you think."

"Not how I think. What the hell are you talking about? You're telling me that Emmett has been biting you over and over again all of these years and it's not as bad as it looks. You know what that is Rosalie….it's spousal abuse, its physical abuse and you of all people…to put up with that."

Before I could say another word she'd pulled her shirt back up and spun to face me standing inches from my face.

"Let's get one thing straight. Emmett is not abusing me. Not even close. Yes he loses control sometimes, but it's not done in violence, it's never done in violence that's why when you tell me that this male dominant shit isn't about violence I can relate, at least a little….but…"

"I can't listen to this. You sound like every abused woman that ever tried to justify getting beaten." I felt sick to my stomach. How had I missed it? How could Emmett do this? He loved Rosalie, but didn't all abusers profess to love those they hurt. I felt my pocket for my cell phone. I had to call Carlisle, he had to deal with this; it was beyond me.

"I knew I couldn't trust you. Why do you have to overreact to everything?"

Under any other circumstance, I would have pointed out that it was she that had attacked me and had every intention of ripping my head half off to give her mate the advantage in what should have been nothing more than battle for rank. Now it had turned into something else completely.

"Before you go off half cocked and do something stupid, I want you to think about this." she said reasonably.

I looked at her uncomprehending.

"Have you ever, ever in all your years of listening in on my thoughts, seen any signs of distress from me, felt that in any way I feared Emmett?

I thought about that. No. If anything Emmett feared Rosalie.

I gave her a questioning look and she nodded in satisfaction.

"When Emmett and I….God I can't believe I'm telling you this." She sighed. "When Emmett and I make love, well it gets a little rough, a little aggressive."

Memorable moments of ruckus lovemaking flashed in my mind. The broken furniture, the damaged walls, the uprooted trees, the gutted 1969 Dodge Dart.

"We lose control…both of us lose control…we forget where we are…completely give in to the…what do you call your bloodlust…_the beast_? Well that's what we call our love making…we completely give into the beast." She had a little smile on her face and I groaned when I caught a flash of her and Emmett in the trees near the Klamath Mountains assuming a position that brought down a Redwood.

"Sometimes, when we're lost in each other…at the height of passion…."

"Stop," I whispered covering my ears, but I couldn't cover my mind.

"Oh for God's sake. Stop being so immature. Sometimes at the peak of sexual release, Emmett bites me. At first when he did it, I was horrified and so was he and he promised then and there he would never do it again. But it's not something he can control and he only does it when he takes me from behind."

"Please Rosalie, I don't want to hear it," I groaned, the visuals were the worst and they just kept coming.

"At first I was furious." She continued, ignoring my pleas. "I didn't want scars all over my shoulders, but no matter how mad I got or how sorry he was, he just couldn't and still can't control himself. And I guess I've grown to like it. It's kind of a turn on. Besides the damage is done. He just keeps biting me over and over in the same spot so I'm not getting any new scars and that's something."

"Why…WHY are you telling me this? What does your kinky sexual escapades have to do with Emmett and I." I shuddered at the very real thought that Rosalie in some way interpreted her lovemaking with what males did to establish rank. It had nothing to do with sex…did it? I felt for the phone in my pocket. I needed to call Carlisle.

Rosalie sighed and gripped my face between her hands. I suppose I should have been worried that she might twist my head off given her attempts to tear my throat open earlier, but I was too distracted to care.

"Listen to me carefully Edward. He only has this urge to bite me when he takes me from behind. Not once in all of our years together has he ever bit me any other place, at least not hard enough to leave a scar."

"Not telling me anything you haven't just said." Would it be childish to start singing lalalalalalala to drown out her voice? Probably but I was getting desperate.

"He is sorry every time he does it and he does it EVERYTIME. He can't control himself in that position and it is about being in that position. I think he's drawing from some primitive side of himself, some dormant instinct of mounting a male, holding onto and securing a male which is why he only feels this need to bite when he's in that position…get it?"

"We need to talk to Carlisle," I said abruptly pulling out my phone.

In the next instant I saw that same phone crumpled into pieces and tossed aside by Rosalie.

"You are not calling Carlisle. That's all I need. Do you know how hard it's been to keep this from Esme? It hurts her to no end that I always leave the room to change clothes or won't let her come into the dressing room with me when we shop. I can't imagine what she thinks about my prudish behavior, but it's definitely caused a rift between us and I haven't put her through all that all these years just to have you run and tell Carlisle the first chance you get."

"I'm telling you all of this for one reason and one reason only. To explain why I'm afraid for you if Emmett should get in the dominant position."

I blinked at her, unable to stutter out a response, my mind still hung up on her destruction of my phone.

"He'll bite you…he'll bite you and you'll fight him and the more you fight the worse it's going to be for you.

"You don't fight?" I asked astounded.

"No, never. Not even for fun. Once he bites, all games are over. I let him finish and like I said it's not like I don't like it, but the couple of times I thought I might twist away or when I was pissed at him in the early days for leaving another scar on me, I did fight and he didn't let go…..he bit harder…and Edward, I'm his mate. He shouldn't hurt me, not if I don't want him too, but he can't help it and he wouldn't just hurt you Edward. It would go beyond that; he'd kill you or at least tear you to pieces until one of us could reassemble you. And I don't want that to happen, not for his sake and not for yours."

I had nothing else to say. I trusted her conclusions completely. I had seen it with my own eyes, through her memories. As distasteful as it was to watch my sister and brother have sex, I had absorbed enough that I could see where her fears materialized from. Emmett looked different in that position, animalistic, monstrous even. It was a different Emmett, an Emmett that was a stranger to me. I wanted to hate him for hurting her, for using his strength in a way that it was never meant nor should ever be used, but what Rosalie said was true; she enjoyed it. It was like a special treat, something saved for special occasions and she, Rosalie dictated when. Still the brutality was there and I had little doubt that that hostility could be unleashed on me.

"I guess I'll have to make sure I win then." I finally said quietly watching her adjust her clothing as best she could after our altercation. Her state of dress would only raise suspicions if she came across Emmett, otherwise she could blame the tears and dirty smudges on him; their enthusiastic romps and destruction of clothing and property was nothing new to the rest of the family.

"You need to come home with me." Bossy Rosalie was back.

I shook my head.

"Edward, I've thrown too much at you. You aren't in any condition to take on Emmett right now. Please. If you've learned nothing else, you should at least recognize that you need to be focused. Erring on the side of caution isn't a defeat. You must be in top form to take him."

Hearing Rosalie's desire that I dominate her mate was still disconcerting. It flew in the face of all that I thought I knew about her; her need for social acceptance, her desire for an evaluated position, her out and out snobbiness. Maybe she was right. I had a lot to think about.

I started to follow her. She signed in relief and led the way. But then just for a moment I saw a flickering of her thoughts. She didn't trust me, didn't think I took her advice seriously. She still doubted my abilities to dominate her mate. She was reconsidering her options. She would tell Carlisle, warn him that I couldn't be left alone with Emmett, that I wasn't strong enough to take him and would lead me to suffer grave injuries at his hands.

It was on the tip of my tongue to lambast her for her lack of confidence in me and berate her for her interference, yet again, but rather than reveal that her thoughts were exposed to me, I kept my mouth shut and abruptly changed my direction which wouldn't take me anywhere near our home.

"Make sure Bella doesn't come out here looking for me." I said, calmly, disappearing in the undergrowth.

"I'll come with you,"

"No. You'll just make Emmett more protective and aggressive, you need to leave, and I need to get out of range of your scent.

"He'll smell me on you." She was back at my side, casting me a sardonic look.

Damn. Yes he would.

My lips twitched and I couldn't help smirking at Rosalie watching her eyes widen as she understood. Maybe Rosalie's scent would distract him enough, interfere with my own odors, maybe it would throw his whole instinctual clock out of whack.

I turned from her and ran.

* * *

Tracking Emmett wasn't difficult, not that he had any reason to camouflage his scent. We were in our territory; hunting animals of all things and the only others that might share our taste in prey were 3100 miles away. Still it was never difficult to find Emmett. Unlike me, Emmett didn't run in a straight line, barely touching the ground, hardly giving time for the scent to accumulate in the vegetation. He was like a curious child, easily distracted, being pulled from his original objective to investigate a hidden cave he found, climb a tree that looked inviting, take a swim in the nearest body of water catching fish for fun or just lazing about in the grass still as a stone, waiting for his prey to find him.

Such was the case on this night and even with a head start and several more minutes of distraction brought about by Rosalie, I still found him within the hour, clinging to the side of the cliff wall just above Lake Superior, for no other reason than to entertain himself by dropping into the lake, letting himself sink to the bottom, then springing up again catching the side of the cliff and each time trying to get higher still.

He hadn't seen or smelled me; the wind from the giant lake driving all scents inland and I stood watching him for a time, trying to decide how best to approach him.

After Carlisle had forced my submission to him, he freely shared most if not all his memories of dominant-submissive behaviors that he'd experienced and applied with both of my brothers over the years. It was baffling to me how I had remained so clueless to all of it, even when he displayed dominant behaviors right under my nose. So in tune to Carlisle was I now that even those memories of his dominance over my brothers could make me feel weak at the knees sending shivers of trepidation through me as my instincts tried to grasp what instigated the wrath of the coven leader, not able to decipher reality from the memories of times past. Fortunately Carlisle would break away from those memories before I made a complete fool of myself in front of my family reacting to something that was decades old as if it were occurring at that very moment.

One of the memories that stuck with me most was Carlisle's initial mounting of Emmett. It had been a completely new experience for the both of them, but for a coven master to be uninitiated in the art of mounting another male was truly unique. He could only use his second hand experience with the Vulturi to guide him and to see his struggle to contain the out of control Emmett and ultimately force his submission had been both fascinating and horrifying.

I remembered that day well. It was the day Emmett's unexplained rage had been unleashed on me; the day he might have killed me when I threatened to keep him from going after a human family. His thirst for human blood was still tormenting him, but it wasn't his thirst that made him so dangerous, though at the time I didn't know why he was in such a frenzy. His defiance, so uncharacteristic and out of control was being fed by his need to challenge Carlisle, something he couldn't begin to understand. I'd seen Carlisle's memory of that day many times in the last several months, and more in the last few weeks as he apparently was trying to prepare me for this day.

He'd outsmarted Emmett, used the excuse to swim as a way to calm him, anticipated that Emmett would turn on him which he did and skillfully outmaneuvered him. In the end the actual mounting was anti-climatic. Carlisle never engaged him in a face to face confrontation, never played into Emmett's strength. Though his memories could not properly convey the volatility of the encounter, the potential for catastrophe was there.

It was up to me to decipher Carlisle's intentions when he showed me that day over and over again. He couldn't actively assist me, but I had to assume he was trying to tell me something; perhaps alluding to the possibility that a frontal assault wasn't necessary and shouldn't even be attempted.

I thought about how Carlisle took me. It was no real fight at all. He'd simply tricked me into going for a hunt imagining prey that wasn't there and maneuvered himself behind me and leapt. I was completely caught off guard just as Emmett had been. The beauty of the surprise attack was that it was truly a surprise when the recipient of it had no understanding what was coming or what was expected of them. But I did not have that luxury. Emmett knew. Perhaps he was biding his own time, waiting for me to venture off by myself so he could jump me, surprise me. Neither one of us could truly be surprised anymore.

But I didn't want to take Emmett in the water, not like Carlisle and I didn't want to attempt to accost him on the cliff wall; there would be no chance of surprise if I resorted to that. Still there had to be a way. I could simply jump him when he tired of his game and headed for home, but then there was his strength to consider and despite his size, his reflexes were surprisingly fast; certainly no slower than the average vampire. What was I missing? Something was eluding me…an idea…a possibility for a simple solution to this complex encounter.

And then it came to me.

No sooner had I settled into a tree a mile away from the cliff where Emmett was playing when it occurred to me. And I had Rosalie to thank for it. I smiled a little to myself. It was perfect, so perfect in fact that I couldn't help but feel a little smug.

But before I could put my plan into action I had to set the stage. I pulled up the sleeves on my shirt and studied my arms. Where as a human they might have been covered with moles and scars, my change had left them unblemished with the passage of time. Unlike Jasper and now Rosalie, my body was not covered with the scars of the bites from our kind. My only marks were from Carlisle. First, when he changed me and later when he forced my submission. But other than that my body remained untarnished by time, undamaged by age; I could have been as new to this life as a new born baby given my flawless skin. But that was about to change. It had to change. I needed to provide convincing evidence if I was going to deceive Emmett.

Gripping my elbow I pulled my arm to my mouth and bit hard into my bicep without thinking, muffling the scream that emerged from my throat in my flesh and waiting until I could swallow it down before dislodging my teeth from the muscle. I watched, fascinated as the venom dripped down my arm and into my jeans in a steady flow of clear fluid. If I had just fed the fluid would have been pinkish bordering on magenta as the blood from my prey was absorbed by my body through the venom that circulated in my veins; driven only by gravity and the fresh rush of new blood; my stilled heart holding no greater value than any of my other frozen organs.

I held my arm out letting the venom spill onto my clothing and down my arm, coating myself with it, until I felt the telltale sign of tingling in my fingers indicating that I was losing the strength in my hand as the venom left the limb. Quickly I licked the wound and watched, always awestruck as it sealed itself in seconds, thus preserving my strength for the battle that was yet to come.

I dropped from the tree and settled myself against the base of it, casually surveying my surroundings. The underbrush was heavy, the trees numerous, offering very little in the way of room for hand to hand combat which suited me just fine. Granted, an open area would give me the ability to utilize my speed and maneuverability to my advantage but I had no intention of getting into hand to hand combat with Emmett and the lack of obstructions in the form of trees, outcroppings of rocks and uneven terrain would give him a clear line to me every time he made a charge. No it was just fine where I was. The scene was set.

"Emmett," I said in a whispery voice, just loud enough so that he should hear me over the crashing waves that pounded against the shoreline.

I waited and listened. He was suddenly alert, drawn to the sound of his name being called. He hadn't registered that it was me. I waited. I wanted to give him as little time as possible to understand what was happening, understand it was me; less time to put two and two together. He was climbing up the cliff wall.

"Hello," he said, once he cleared it, sniffing the air that only carried the scents from the lake. He could not rely on his sense of smell. He ran inland away from my trail.

"Emmett." I croaked as I saw him drift north.

Through his eyes I saw him turn, searching the trees, sniffing the air; he began moving towards me, his steps light and soundless. Still I remained downwind from him and he couldn't find me. I would have to reveal myself.

"Emmett over here, I've been bit."

"Edward?"

I heard him crashing through the trees towards me. In an instant he was upon me, skidding to a stop in front of me. I held my hand against my throat and contorted my face in a mask of agony, watching myself through Emmett's eyes. Did it look believable, did I look hurt?

Emmett's next question answered that. "What happened, what's wrong with you?" His eyes were wide staring at my prone position as if he'd never seen me this way before which as it related to lying on the ground in the woods, he probably hadn't.

I saw his nostrils flair, his eyes darted around. Without knowing what was wrong with me he was trying to eliminate any immediate discernable threats.

I groaned, bringing his attention back to me.

"What happened," he said again, leaning over me. "Let me see."

"No, get away." I did my best to sound suspicious and alarmed.

"Who did this to you?"

"Who did this to me…who do you think? Rosalie did this to me…she bit me…practically tore off my head, she's lost her mind." I snarled at him.

He staggered back. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"She bit me."

"What did you do to her?" he growled, immediately on the defensive.

"Nothing, I didn't do anything to her. She tracked me, followed me out her, she jumped me out of nowhere, tore at my throat, I had to outrun her or she would have killed me. She's lost it…lost her mind."

I kept my voice low, just a hoarse whisper and tried to stagger to my feet, but let myself fall back in an obvious display of weakness.

Emmett was taking it all in now. He could smell Rosalie on me and the fresh scent of venom sickly sweet and unique. No other scent on earth could be mistaken for it. I could see the thoughts in Emmett's mind as he flipped through altercation after altercation over the decades between Rosalie and I, lingering on our most recent arguments, finding nothing more alarming in them than any from the past. There was no experience he could draw from, no confrontation, no escalation of our heated words that culminated to the point where she would attack me or I her for that matter.

It was only after flashing through all the memories of our time together did the first inkling of understanding filter through to him. He was in tune with his mate. He understood her better than anyone. He would know what motivated her, what drove her, what compelled her to do something. If I spoke the truth and he could only assume that I did, what would cause her to follow after me and attack me ripping a hole in my throat and leaving me, still alive, still able to recover and return to Carlisle who would not be pleased with her aggressive pursuits no matter how much I annoyed her.

Just as Rosalie had envisioned when she first charged me, just as I anticipated when I decided to initiate this charade, Emmett saw my weakness and for the first time he understood how he could take advantage of it. It was just a flicker of a thought and then it was gone, but I saw it and I didn't need someone to draw me a picture. Emmett would fill in the blanks soon enough.

But I was ready…

…or so I thought.

* * *

_**Author Notes:**_

_**I've always enjoyed Rosalie and Edward's relationship and I wanted to incorporate it into this chapter as much as I could. **_

_**Again, I'm disappointed that I had to split this up but I couldn't imagine reading one chapter containing seventeen thousand words, one shot or not. **_

_**Your comments would be appreciated. Thanks for reading.**_


	7. Deception Part Two

_**DISCLAIMER: SM owns all Twilight characters and settings. No copyright infringement intended.**_

_**WARNING: Contains graphic accounts of sexual dominance and submission. **SLASH** Please don't read if this offends you. Of course if you've made it this far, you'll be just fine. ;o)**_

_**This chapter is being told entirely from Edward's POV. I've mentioned before that I don't feel a connection with Emmett so it's hard for me to write from his perspective. I hope that doesn't detract from this encounter.**_

_**Thank you for all the nice comments. I read and try to respond to everyone. **_

_**Submit has been nominated for ***The Sunflower Awards*** Voting begins May 4th! .**_

_**Be sure to check out my interview with Carlisle Cullen in the Author Notes. It might answer some of the questions that this chapter will be sure to generate.**_

* * *

Edward's POV

Emmett towered over me, cocking his head, his muscles quivering with anticipation and the exertion of maintaining some sense of civility until he knew what he was dealing with. He had to know that I recognized my own weakness; injured, drained of precious venom, unable to resist whatever persuasive advances he exuded. I wasn't sure what I expected but this sudden and immediate confrontation was not one of them. He was suppose to advance slowly, evaluate the situation, analyze my reaction once I understood his intentions then determine how best to proceed.

I quickly realized I was projecting myself into the situation and contemplating my reaction if the situation had been reversed. It was I that would over analyze, consider all my options and proceed with the best possible outcome for me. That wasn't Emmett. He would go with the first thought that occurred to him and if that thought was to confront me directly then he would be of little inclination to consider an alternative or scrutinize how his actions might be detrimental to his ultimate goal.

In one of our many talks on the subject, Carlisle had articulated how any battle for rank, any dominant-submissive confrontation always highlighted the strengths of the opposing vampires similar to how a human with a special talent could become a vampire with a powerful gift. Emmett's strength which might very well turn into his weakness was his complete confidence in his abilities. He would see an opportunity and take it without evaluating in his mind whether it was the best possible option.

And so I held my ground and waited passively, suggesting the agony of my injury had left me too incapacitated to repel his advances, when in truth I wanted him to commit to a plan so I could calculate a way to counter it. He was cognizant of his thoughts and was imagining Rosalie nude, a reliable memory that would assuredly send me scampering from his mind; but not this time. This time I held onto that image not wanting to miss the slip up that was bound to happen, provoking a response in me that would offset his intention.

I laid as still as possible holding my breath and trying not to tense up too much when Emmett leaned over me. His expression was concerned, confused, but he couldn't hide his eyes, couldn't manipulate their color to distort his yearning for pursing the opportunity left by his mate. They were solid black like two smoldering coals embedded in his skull and when he leaned closer, I saw his nostrils flair, his massive chest expand; he was using my scent to feed his desires. I clenched my teeth but could not hide the low warning growl that rumbled from deep within my chest. He was too close, it was happening too fast; I wasn't ready…he wasn't ready; still I remained motionless.

"Don't be afraid. Here let me help you." Emmett's voice was tender and concerned.

He was still playing the charade of worried brother, ignoring my growl which would have been spontaneous even if we weren't sinking into our more primordial selves. An injured vampire was vulnerable to other vampires and our instincts didn't recognize family members. The growl was a warning to keep away…back off…but Emmett leaned in.

I wanted to tell him to go, to leave me alone to heal on my own, forgetting momentarily that I wasn't truly injured, that this was just a ploy to give me an advantage and avoid confronting him in a way that would utilize his strength. He was gravitating toward me, peering into my eyes, trying to read my own mind, trying to determine if I understood what we were doing, where this was leading, what was inevitable now that we were finally alone and I was injured.

His hand wrapped around the wrist of the hand that I held to my throat.

"Let me see, I'll close it up for you," he said hoarsely, clearing his throat.

I resisted exposing the wound that didn't exist, shaking my head vehemently. That wouldn't have made him suspicious. He would understand my concern. He wasn't my mate, he was another male vampire and I wasn't inclined to let him anywhere near my neck.

As he drifted closer his attention was diverted. He saw my true injury, the self inflicted one and he was distracted. "She bit you twice?"

"Yes…she's lost her mind," I muttered, the last of the air I was holding was gone.

He chuckled and I saw his thoughts, saw his appreciation for what he thought was his mate's thoroughness in weakening me and then it was gone, replaced with another image of Rosalie beneath him as he thrust into her.

He released my wrist and grabbed my injured arm, pulling it out away from my body, exposing the wound that was for all intents and purposes healed and even though I saw his intentions I still gasped when I felt his lips on me, his tongue caressing around the healed wound still red and angry looking and that gasp brought me the first whiff of Emmett's scent, his rank odor and more importantly the first inkling of his lust.

My body shuddered in reaction to the assault on my senses. This was wrong, all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Where was the aggression, the struggle for position, the impulsive charge that I thought would accompany Emmett's advance? None of this was happening like I planned it. But it wasn't too late. I hadn't been completely overcome by Emmett's scent; his reaction to the perception of my weakness wasn't hostile and he hadn't completely shifted into the role of the dominant vampire. Perhaps he had more control over his instincts then I first gave him credit for, but that would not work to his advantage this time.

Still, I didn't understand my response to his advances. Rather than free myself immediately from the assertive position he held over me, I remained as I was, hand still clamped over my nonexistent injury, allowing him to lean in as he concentrated solely on the injury on my arm, his tongue circling the healing scar over and over again. His other hand was subtly pressing into my chest, holding me down, his body perched over me, his groin hovering just over my hips as he straddled me on his knees, leaving me little in the way of options as I tried to control the urge to spring out from under him.

"Let me check your neck. We need to get back to the house. Carlisle's going to be furious. I'm worried what will happen to him if he tries to punish Rosalie." Emmett chortled, lifting his head to look at me calmly like he had no other worries in the world and his nonchalant attitude given the situation we were currently in was disconcerting. But then wasn't that his intention all along; distract me from his true motivation. Or maybe he was trying to get me to talk, to respond to his comments knowing that in order to do that I would need to breathe.

His hand moved against my chest as if he were trying to quell the growling that reverberated from me, still warning him away. When he settled on my hips, completely pressing against my male member that had yet to respond to him, he sighed, disappointed that he'd not been able to entice me into the slow steady build up that would ultimately culminate in one of us submitting to the other.

For the first time I saw confusion in his thoughts, his confidence shaken and he searched his memories of his encounters with Carlisle trying to determine when his state of arousal became evident to Carlisle and finding some comfort in the realization that only the dominate member of the coupling needed an erection. He often remained flaccid during Carlisle's mounting particularly when Carlisle attacked without warning, responding to a particularly grievous occurrence with the full force of a coven leader.

But where this revelation brought a measure of relief and invigorated him, allowing him to proceed with his ministering to my wound that wasn't really a wound anymore. It filled me with dread; my lack of response to the situation suggested I was letting go of my dominant instincts, allowing him to lull me into compliancy, becoming the passive member of the pair. My fears were reinforced when I looked down between us and saw the bulge in Emmett's jeans and felt conformation of it when he leaned forward pressing himself into my abdomen.

_No. _

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to concentrate on my plan. I had set it in motion. I was the one in charge. I was only drawing Emmett in, making him vulnerable, alleviating the danger that was always just under the surface, bubbling like a witch's caldron waiting to spew over. I felt Emmett's breath on my face and my eyes shot open. He was hovering over me, his own eyes closed, drinking in my scent, letting it empower him and snorting out his frustration when he realized that I had not submitted to him, my odor still neutral, my position neither submissive nor dominant.

"What are you doing, Edward? You need to breathe. You know how this works. Just take a breath and it will be all over. It's all you need. Just let it happen," he cooed in my ear.

And I wanted too, I really wanted too. It would be so easy. I saw the entire encounter as Emmett saw it. I was already prone, already vulnerable; I just needed to suck in his stench, let it envelop me so I wouldn't resist him when he flipped me. I would be ready, my role assigned and I would give myself to him freely. It wouldn't be dangerous because I wouldn't resist him. I would be more than willing to rise up on my knees letting him rip away the fragile piece of clothing that separated us, pressing myself against him, feeling his maleness slide between my thighs, his hot breath against my neck. And if he bit me to secure his hold on me I would welcome it, even crave it, responding to everything he did to make me his.

I felt his lips against my ear. His fingers were intertwined in my hair tilting my head back exposing the flesh of my neck that wasn't protected by my hand. Another shudder rippled through me when I felt his tongue against me, licking at the flesh that vampires were usually so protective of. I was giving myself over to him even as I fought against the scent that would bring me all the way. I understood his frustration. He was close…so close to drawing out my submission because that was what he was doing. He wasn't forcing me to do anything; he was encouraging me, teasing me, enticing me and that knowledge was being driven home through the pulsating need in his organ that was now fully pressed against my belly, still covered by fabric, but nothing could hide the heat, the twitching as it sought sanctuary in the only orifice that could provide it.

As he suckled on my neck I felt the rhythmic thrusting of his hips against me and a tingling similar to what I experienced earlier in my hand when the flow of venom was cut off to it, took over my body. I understood that feeling too. My body was losing strength, not from an injury but from a need to serve. Even without breathing in his rank odor, my instincts were driving me to give in, sucking at the strength that would make me resist him; my body was already there, my mind just needed to follow.

When I felt Emmett's teeth on me, it was too much and my hips thrust up lifting myself and him off the ground. He nibbled my throat, grunting in satisfaction when he saw my lips part and heard the rush of air as I sucked it in through my nose and mouth. He lifted his head from my neck and through his eyes I saw my own turn a solid onyx, saw my face contort as the scent of his dominance coursed through my body and finally saw the relief of submission that his scent released in me.

There was no longer a desire to entice me, no longer a need to proceed with caution; Emmett's knowledge of that predated my own and only from his thoughts did I grasp that I no longer had any control over the outcome of this encounter.

He released my throat and rising only slightly to allow my body to move between his legs, he flipped me. Then just as I'd seen in his thoughts when he envisioned our coupling, he tore away the clothing that separated us, ripping my jeans completely off of me, before pulling his dripping animated organ through a hastily torn hole in his own. But that's where his vision and my expectations parted ways and I felt his giant hands slide down my back, felt them on my hips lifting me to my knees, spreading them wide and I fell to my elbows, the fake wound on my neck forgotten.

I groaned when I felt the scraping of his teeth along my buttocks, felt the nudging of his nose between my cheeks and finally the flick of his tongue along my opening. A part of me wanted to protest his oral probing as this was not how it was done, not how my total submission would be achieved. A part of me knew this was a mistake and I desperately, in my completely passive, completely vulnerable position wanted to help Emmett avoid making it.

But the bigger part of me relished his ministering of the entrance that would serve to drain him of the venom that my body now craved and I pushed back against his mouth encouraging him without understanding that the reversal of roles had now been set in motion. When his mouth moved down between my legs and I felt his breath against my testicles I felt the first stirrings of life in my flaccid organ. I'd been prepared to give myself over to him fully, let him use me to seek his own satisfaction and only…possibly getting my own release after I serviced him.

But now with his encouragement, I felt desire flood through my body and a powerful need to thrust into something as he sucked on my scrotum delighting in my groans of pleasure, his thoughts triumphant and undisturbed by my obvious erection, a snicker escaping his lips as I purred out my pleasure.

Satisfied with my reaction, he slid his tongue up along the crevice between my cheeks again, lingering on the entrance that would soon be filled with him, breathing in deeply, encouraging his lust that expelled the musky odor from every pore in his body and overtook my own senses, causing my own body to shudder with need. I spread my legs still wider, submitting in every way possible and anticipating his penetration with unbridled enthusiasm.

Satisfied that he'd reduced me to nothing more than a mass of quivering flesh, his scent changed again and became the pungent smell I associated with the prelude to an actual mounting. His tongue slid up my spine and into my hair and I arched and pushed back against him, sighing in satisfaction when I felt his thick manhood press between my legs.

I was panting out my need, each breath, each taste of the air full of his stink was pure heaven. There was no shame, no desire to be the dominant partner in this coupling, no regret that I would be that much further away from the coven leadership, only the intense almost uncontrollable need to submit to the powerful vampire on top of me.

At the first probing of his organ, a low simultaneous moan emanated from both of us and I braced myself for the onslaught that would follow. Another thrust and the head of his manhood slipped into me. I felt his lips nibbling on my ear, felt his teeth capture my ear lobe and pull gently, felt his tongue slide down along my neck, licking tenderly…then teeth…more pressure…I groaned again as he thrust forward, his thoughts were…confused.

I felt his body stiffen and he pulled back. It took only a moment for realization to flood over me and almost immediately his conscious thoughts followed. The bite…he was searching for Rosalie's bite. In his thoughts I saw he meant to bite me again, just as Rosalie said he would, sealing his lips around the scar she would have given me and replacing it with that of his own, the ultimate bond to his mate. I would carry their mark for all time; but then he saw that there was no wound, no bite mark, no scar from her bite and in the few milliseconds it took him to realize that, he lost me.

His teeth snapped against my ear but I jerked my head aside narrowly avoiding them. I struggled and his grip tightened. No longer was I the willing submissive only conscious of serving and satisfying him. His confusion, his realization and his rage had diluted the aroma of his dominating lust breaking the only hold he had on me. His stench was still pungent, the draw was still there but a new odor pervaded the space around us and I realized it was the scent of my own rank smell that conveyed anything but submission.

I growled and in a furious frantic struggle I bucked and withered under him, breaking our connection but only barely as I felt his massive organ against me, felt his hips rotate as he tried to re-establish himself. Again I heard his teeth snap against my neck and Rosalie's words of warning came back to me. I was in exactly the position she warned me about, but no longer was I the submissive that would have allowed Emmett's bite, would have welcomed it and would have given over to him as he held me in the grip of his teeth nursing my neck as he pumped his venom into me.

Now if he managed to sink his teeth in me, so he could mount me, I would fight him and just as Rosalie warned, he wouldn't have the control to stop himself; he would battle with me as if I were a stranger and with his brute strength and dominant position he could very easily kill me.

Briefly I considered whether she had been lying to me all along. If Alice hadn't foreseen that very thing and she was just trying to stop the inevitable. But the future could always change so even if Alice had seen it quite clearly, nothing was set in stone. I renewed my efforts to break free of the iron glad grip on my upper arms as Emmett tried to hold my shoulders down against the ground.

My attempts to free myself were playing to his advantage. I was still on my knees, very much exposed, trying to position myself to make an attempt to stand. My hisses and growls were spontaneous and without thought but did nothing to distract him. His thoughts were fully exposed to me now. He was enraged by my attempts to deceive him, furious that he'd been so close to completing the act and failing and bewildered by my sudden volatile aggressive behavior when only moments before I'd been more than willing to give myself over to him. His inexperience was taking its toll on his psyche making him more vulnerable to my own attempts to mount him if I could only free myself from his massive hands.

But it was hopeless. I could not overpower Emmett, could not beat him when he already had me in the submissive position. If he lost his advantage momentarily and if I had triumphed over the allure of his scent for the time being, it would take very little for him to regain his supremacy. He was still very much erect; I could feel him against me, his length between my thighs, his breath on my neck, his teeth snapping again and again as he sought to bite down, holding me with the flickering images of Rosalie floating through his mind. If he bit me, he had me, there was no other way I could envision freeing myself from him, not if I wanted to live and that was alright, I was okay with that. I just had to relent to his superior strength and envelop myself in that musty odor that would surround us like a radioactive cloud.

With a prolonged roar of fury, I made one final attempt to pull lose of Emmett's control by doing the one thing he wasn't expecting. I threw myself forward so that I was lying completely flat on the ground then in the same motion twisted free of his hands just enough to allow me to turn under him so that he now had me pinned, but on my back. His fingers immediately dug into my upper arms but I managed to get my hands between us and pushed against his chest, giving him the illusion that I was trying to push him away but in the next motion, my hands slid around his back and I pulled him too me and then I rolled.

But that maneuver alone wasn't enough, because we kept rolling, even when I tried to stop our momentum when I was on top. We rolled and twisted, each of us propelling our bodies with legs and arms and elbows ignoring the snarls and the teeth that were always perilously close to the other's throat and still neither of us could get complete control of the other. But unlike Emmett who was blissfully unaware of my thoughts, I could see his and now he was using my gift against me in a way that surprised me. Not by content, his intentions were quite clear, but because no one else had tried it on me in the past, not even Carlisle and it was so simple, so completely obvious. He was envisioning himself winning this struggle and completing the act by deftly flipping me back on my stomach and simultaneously sinking both his organ and his teeth into me as I went completely slack beneath him other than to moan out my pleasure and pain and try to accommodate the needs of his body.

The image made me wheeze with need and once again I felt myself giving into him, the grip of my arms around his body loosening, my knees parting as he pressed against me, member to member, both of us fully erect, where only one of us needed to be. But fortunately for me, he would not take me on my back, a position that was wholly human and had no place in this primitive attempt at conquest. Instinctually he needed to mount me from the rear, to dominate me as the beast he was. Despite what Rosalie might think, I was not his sex partner, we were not satisfying a sexual urge through a carnal sin of the flesh; that might come later, afterward, when satisfaction for the submissive partner might be granted by the dominant one but for now, it was still about instincts. Emmett needed to mount me from behind and that's where he made his second mistake.

He sniffed at me as I lay beneath him, almost indifferently, almost as if he'd already succeeded in burying himself in me, shooting his venom through my lower bowels, enjoying the spectacle of my helplessness as I quivered under the effects of it. His casualness was startling and I almost let it pass, willing to once again submit to him, doing little to free myself as he released my arms and pulled back on his knees still between my legs. I lay looking at him, watching his thoughts play out as he visualized taking control of me, his body thrusting against mine, seeking to fill me with his essence again and again. My arms had fallen to either side of me and I breathed in big deep breaths, almost like I was starved for oxygen, but really only interested in enveloping myself fully in his odor to prepare me for the inevitable.

But something wasn't quite right; the stench of his body was not having the same effect on me as it had previously. His arrogance was intolerable and I found myself growing annoyed with him. This wasn't how it was suppose to be. I sniffed at the air and was startled when I smelled myself, recognized that the lingering odor was of my own arousal, my own need to mount Emmet. He hadn't quelled it, hadn't shown himself to be a dominant leader. He was letting me come to that conclusion on my own, not taking responsibility for getting me there. I squelched a growl and closed my eyes, not bothering to open them when I felt his hand close around my thighs sliding up to my hips. I knew what he was going to do; I saw it in his mind as clear as if it were my own thoughts. He was done playing around. He was going to flip me and mount me biting me in the very spot that should have already been scarred by Rosalie's teeth. And I wouldn't move, I couldn't move, not if I wanted to live.

So I let him…let him flip me, but that was all. Once I was on my hands and knees I sprung and his hands still in the process of turning me were no longer holding onto me at all, they were holding onto air, thin air and I was free.

The expression on Emmett's face would have been comical if the situation wasn't so serious. He remained on his knees staring first at me standing some thirty feet from him, then the ground, then back at me again. The absolute rage didn't hit him immediately. He was still trying to fathom how he lost me, how I managed to slip away when he had already been contemplating the reward of successfully mounting me. When it finally dawned on him that we were for all intents and purposes back at square one, he bellowed out his fury and charged me. This was the Emmet I knew, the one I was prepared for, the one I was so worried about in the first place.

I easily sidestepped him when he charged; his thoughts weren't hidden but his intentions where obvious even if they were. He met with a large tree and snapped it off at the base of the trunk sending it crashing to the ground. When he turned, I was ready sucking in the air as hungrily as he did, both of us trying to take advantage of our scents which had reverted back to the stink of an aggravated male, our ebbing erections evidence that our lust had faded.

"You tricked me," Emmett sputtered, like the thought had just occurred to him.

"Yes, well I tried," I said evenly, unable to generate the rage that I would need to bring down this giant vampire.

"Coward," he hissed and charged again, this time his arm brushed against me, hardly more than a tap but it sent me flying into a pile of boulders that disintegrated upon impact with my flailing body.

I sprung to my feet and snarled. We were creating a lot of noise. How far were we from the house? How soon before Bella came to find me? Would Rosalie be able to keep her distracted? Emmett charged again but rather than fly straight at me he anticipated my attempts to dodge him and shifted in anticipation. Fortunately I saw his thoughts first and didn't move at all, he whizzed by me again.

"You'll be lucky if I don't kill you," he roared, spinning again, his eyes never leaving me as he stalked forward following the motion of my body as I moved in unison with him, his every movement a reflection of mine and vice versa.

"Yes," I said noting that there was nothing more to say, no need to elaborate. I took in the air, still volatile but nothing more and I needed more.

Emmett's eyebrows went up, he was puzzled by the lack of agitation he was generating in me. His frustration was evident. He needed something to feed off of. I was getting to him in a way I hadn't anticipated. My indifference, startling given our history was creating confusion and conflict, hardly emotions that generated the need to dominate or as it pertained to me, the desire to submit.

I tested the air with my tongue. Emmett frowned and charged again. He was trying to artificially generate control and power. He needed something to trigger his lust again. I easily jumped aside and spun…waiting.

"You're not ready…you need more time. Think about Bella. You need to do what is right by her." Emmett was attempting another tactic, trying to create self doubt. His voice was low, soothing and confident.

I snorted, but did not respond further, refusing to be drawn out verbally. We sparred too many times that way for me to not understand what he was doing. Emmett was the king of one liners, he always got in the last word. I had to remain focused. My apathetic attitude was getting to him. Maybe this was my inroad.

He charged again but at the last minute he ducked and rolled, I felt the force of his body against my legs and was suddenly spinning through the air. I landed on my feet which was the only thing that saved me as he was instantly upon me again, his hand brushing against my arm, but he missed and I sprinted away, turning only when I no longer felt his pursuit.

He was standing solemnly some distance from me. He knew if I ran he wouldn't be able to catch me and this encounter would have to wait for another day, so he remained frozen in place, waiting for me to come back to him, which inevitably I would do. We both wanted this over today.

"You need to step back bro, now's not the right time. You'll have your chance, I'll always be here, but it's too soon for you; you haven't even been married for a year, you still have a lot to learn." Emmett was back to cooing out remarks that sounded more like regrets; like he was sorry for my weaknesses, like he wanted nothing more than to have me mount him.

I felt irritated. I fought it and moved closer. "You need to submit to me Emmett, it's the right thing to do. You know I'm in a better position to defend this coven then you are."

He growled. He was barely hanging onto his control.

"You're not Carlisle. Those words have no meaning when they come from your mouth," he snickered, crouching down on my approach.

"You know it's the way it should be. I'm the mind reader, I keep you and Rosalie and all the rest of them safe." I licked my lips. I felt venom on my tongue and swallowed it. "You need me to keep you safe."

"And you can continue to do that…afterward," Emmett responded.

"You'll hurt me." It was a statement of fact, not the petulant plea for mercy and it had an effect on Emmett whose eyes widened then narrowed as if I'd insulted him.

"Then don't fight me,"

"You can't control yourself."

"Ridiculous, who told you that…Alice?" She can't see this; she doesn't know what will happen.

"No…Rosalie," I said quietly with no emotion, but the moment her name left my lips I saw and felt his reaction.

"You lie," he snarled and charged again.

This time his thoughts were blinded by his fury and he caught me under the chin when I tried to dodge away from him, body slamming me to the ground a crater imprint of my body forged in the soil.

My fingers locked around his wrist, trying to force it from my throat, but he only squeezed harder, his black eyes narrowing as he studied my face.

"The bite was Rosalie's idea, I took the idea from her. She wanted to do it so I wouldn't fight you, because she knew if I did, you would kill me. You'd kill me, no matter the value I bring to this family. You'd defy Carlisle; destroy everything he built because you don't have control." The words flew from my lips in one long hoarse breath. I had little time to make my case before he would revert to an Emmett I couldn't communicate with, at least not verbally. "Even your mate sees that…understands that."

I saw myself through his eyes, watching in horror as his fingers tightened around my throat, his rage so intense he wasn't the Emmett I knew any longer. His control was fragile, it always had been and I'd pushed him beyond his limits. Now I would see what he was capable of, I would experience it firsthand, but it wouldn't have anything to do with a bite, he was going to tear my head off without ever attempting any kind of mounting. It was Carlisle's worse fears come to fruition. The violence however rare that occurred in dominant–submissive encounters would end my life and destroy Emmett's.

I growled…I snarled…I hissed, but nothing fazed him and only the softness of the ground that molded around my body with the force of the pressure from his hand kept him from snapping my head off in those brief moments where I lingered between life and death and Emmett fought the beast back with everything he had.

Finally, as I felt the first wave of numbness in my lips, a sign I was on the verge of breaking into pieces, I felt his hand loosen, just one finger at a time and no sooner did he let go when I was up, staggering away from him, ready for an assault that didn't come. Seconds ticked by. He could have taken me down at any time, my brain was foggy, I was dazed, unable to defend myself, it was the perfect time for him to regroup and attack, but it never came, he never came.

Sufficiently recovered I searched the tree line but couldn't see him. Had he run? A few tentative steps later I found and followed his scent. His mind was blank to me, he was too far away, he had run, he was heading home. The shock of what I told him had sent him running to Rosalie. I felt a knot in my belly. What would he do? I remembered the scars on her shoulders and neck. He wouldn't hurt her, would he? Had I betrayed my sister in order to save myself?

My stride changed from a jog to an all out run. He couldn't outrun me and almost immediately I saw him. He wasn't trying to. Yes he was heading towards home, but at hardly more than a fast human sprint; he wanted me to catch him. He wasn't fleeing from me, he was drawing me to him and I came, even with my mind reading abilities I failed to see and ran right up on him and now he would spin and take me down, just as he always planned to do.

But he didn't spin, he didn't even glance over his shoulder and his pace slowed. His mind cleared and I gasped seeing something new in his thoughts, something that hadn't been there before. He was submitting to me.

I sucked in the air around me. It was still subtle, barely a few molecules floating amidst the countless other odors that assaulted my superior senses, but it was enough to trigger a flutter in my exposed organ. I saw Emmett stiffen; he ran faster. He might be willing to let me mount him but I still had to make the effort and show that I could. I calculated the distance, let out another burst of speed and from an expanse that might have been too great to accurately measure, I sprung. He didn't try to dodge away from me though surely he heard the rush of my body through the air. I hit him with as much force and fury as he'd unleashed upon me through the day and he went down in a crumbled heap.

His growls were no less aggressive then I could expect given that I had tackled him and was behind him, leaving him at his most vulnerable, but even as I struggled to hold his immense body still, clinging to him when he tried to throw me from him, locking my arms under his arms and around his neck as Carlisle had done to me when his flailing almost dislodged me, I felt the difference in both his struggles and his scent.

He was not giving me the easy victory, it wouldn't have suited him and wouldn't have challenged me and might have left our coupling undefined in our thoughts and memories, encouraging him to immediately confront me again if he wasn't confident in my abilities. His struggles though formable, also served another purpose. They fueled my arousal and generated the lust in me which in turn would release the stench in the air that ultimately would subdue him more than any of my physical efforts could.

For the first time I felt my desires grow out of a manifestation to dominate another vampire and I hungrily latched onto the power of those desires like a lifeline that would guide me to a destiny I was always meant to have. My feelings for the vampire beneath me had dissipated to nothing more than apathy; he was an anonymous male that challenged me and now would submit to me or die. The lust I felt for him was completely different then what I felt when Bella and I coupled. It was peculiar, conflicting; I had an intimate connection with him as my brother, yet there was absolutely no emotional attachment to the being beneath me now. I saw the danger in dwelling on it too much; my weakness in over analyzing and second guessing myself would not serve me as I slide my hand down and removed what remained of Emmett's jeans.

There was a sexual desire there, a part of this act that made me want to give pleasure as much as I took it, but I recognized these feelings as dangerous and to be avoided although I never remember having a conversation about it with my mentor and master. Instead I channeled him, Carlisle, recalling how he took me for the first time, letting his thoughts of dominance and his acts of control encourage my natural inclination to submit to him as the superior being. Carlisle didn't get side tracked with notions of pleasure brought on by completing a sexual act upon another. He mounted me, released his venom in me, marking me as his, giving proof to the others that I was under his control and only then did he offer me some release.

I saw in his actions with me and those of my brothers that the role of dominating another did not allow for feelings of mutual release and should only be entertained as an epilogue to the successful coupling that I'd yet to partake in. It was a selfish act and one that should not be engaged in for personal pleasure except under the guise of dominating another and establishing rank.

Leaning over Emmett I felt him tense, but as Rosalie had predicted, I did have control and rather than bite, I nuzzled into his hair, sucking in one last long whiff of the scent of submission, feeling myself grow completely and painfully erect. Emmett whimpered beneath me and spread his legs much as I had done for him earlier in the day. The role reversal was too staggering to ponder so I didn't dwell on it, wanting nothing to distract me from the impulse to bury myself inside the vampire under me.

The act itself was completely instinctually and the moment the head of my organ pressed against Emmett's opening both he and I groaned in pleasure and my hips immediately began thrusting forward of their own accord. I slide my hands up along Emmett's back and over his shoulders holding him as still as I could against the furious onslaught of my aggressive thrusts.

Emmett for his part, braced himself with his hands, meeting each stroke eagerly, creating a concession of pounding flesh, the rhythmic nature of the it, a tell tale sign of our coupling and one that undoubtedly could be heard by those in the house. I vaguely thought of Rosalie, whose fears of our encounter might be eased as the reverberation of my thrusts would confirm that a successful mounting had occurred though she wouldn't know who had taken who.

When I felt the pressure in my testicles and the tightening in my lower abdomen, I pressed forward holding Emmett still under me, letting the fluid shoot forth of its own velocity, grunting as I felt wave after wave of my venom release into Emmett who barely moved beneath me except to clench and unclench his muscles milking me of the fluid that was now igniting his lower abdomen, sending ripples of pleasure throughout his body and eliciting purrs of contentment from his lips.

His body suddenly jerked and quivered beneath me and I renewed my control of him by burrowing myself deeply in him and securing a hand behind his neck forcing his head down into the dirt. I was assaulted with the aroma of his muskiness as he spilled his seed into the ground with no direct manipulation from him or I and his spontaneous reaction brought forth a surge of lust that threatened to overwhelm my senses as I contemplated taking him again, feeling myself rejuvenated by the odor of his venom and the trembling of his body.

Instead, I remained over him for several minutes, my organ still impaled within him, taking experimental thrusts, testing my control, reveling in his response as he immediately pushed against me eager to submit to me again. The experience was so unusual, so unique and one that I was reluctant to release myself from since as a vampire, very little surprised me anymore. But I couldn't remain buried in Emmett forever. Eventually Rosalie's curiosity and annoyance would get the better of her and she would come and search for us. Besides, dawn was almost upon us and Carlisle would be home. I had too many questions to ask and my need for knowledge often trumped my need for pleasures of the body.

Reluctantly, I pulled myself from Emmett and sat back on my heels. He remained on his knees his face buried in the ground, appearing utterly spent by our coupling. In his thoughts, I saw no signs of aggression or regrets and even my words of earlier alluding to Rosalie's lack of confidence in him did not significantly weigh on his mind. It was through his thoughts that I was able to discern that much like my own experiences with Carlisle and Jasper, we all had our roles, all had our place within the coven and wherever that happened to be was where it was meant to be. There were no misgivings, no jealousy, no periods of anger or resentment. The very act of dominating or being dominated determined the rightful order of things until the day came when it would be revisited and roles would change.

Emmett was content as I'd ever seen him and I was satisfied that he would remain so as long as I fulfilled my obligation to him, the obligation that went unspoken but was by the very act of my domination, the responsibility as a higher ranking member of the coven to protect him and his mate.

* * *

_Author Notes:_

_Initially the following commentary was suppose to occur between Edward and Carlisle, but given Edward's need to examine and reexamine everything, the length of this one shot and the fact that we readers aren't granted eternal life (with endless amounts of free time) I decided to interview Carlisle myself. Hopefully he can answer some of your lingering questions._

**Interview with Carlisle Cullen – Topic Edward and Emmett's dominant/submissive encounter.**

**_Why did Emmett initially approach Edward with tenderness and concern even after he deduced what his mate was up to and why did Edward respond submissively to this rather docile version of Emmett?_**

Carlisle appeared thoughtful before responding.

"Emmett, despite his rather aggressive over reaction to any incident that threatens the family and his love for a good fight, is also one of the most compassionate amongst us, especially to those he considers weaker than himself. In some ways it shows that he understands his brute strength and tries not to use it against those that cannot defend themselves. Edward's apparent injury triggered that protective nurturing instinct in him which might have been startling given the circumstances, but would have been no less effective in forcing the submission of the injured vampire.

Edward reacted to it because inherently, compassion for a foe is a strength and something desired in a leader. We generally rely on aggression when trying to mount another male but a leader has many strengths and the ability to use those strengths effectively is really all that matters. Ironically, even though Edward was not truly hurt, he responded to Emmett because he viewed his compassion as the sign of a good leader even if he wasn't consciously aware that he did it."

**_Why did Edward consider it a mistake when Emmett tried to arouse him prior to mounting him?_**

Carlisle chuckled.

"That was a big miscalculation on Emmett's part and highlighted a weakness. It really boiled down to his ego. He wanted to take Edward when he was in a full state of arousal. Taking a sexually aroused male, makes the domination that much more satisfying and confirms one's own virility. The sexual pleasure one derives from the act is also greater. Complete submission by ones adversary though ultimately the goal isn't as exciting as subduing a dominant individual. Emmett put personal pleasure ahead of his final objective. He revitalized his opponent who had for all intents and purposes already submitted to him."

**_Why did Emmett's alleged indifference to Edward as he lay beneath him create a role reversal before it actually occurred?_**

Carlisle gave the barest hint of a shrug.

"Domination is very instinctual, driven by the actions of the competing entities and the smells that they emanate. It's likely that Emmett, once he had Edward trapped beneath him for the second time, assumed that it was a foregone conclusion that Edward would submit to him. The impression of arrogance is distracting and creates trust issues. Submitting, because of the vulnerability of the position, is rooted in trusting the individual being submitted too. I would assume that Emmett became distracted as he often does and lost his focus. Not only would that have been perceptible to Edward because of his gift, but it also would have distracted from the scent that ultimately plays the biggest role in determining who is truly dominant. It's likely that Emmett diluted his own scent with his lack of concentration and Edward was rejuvenated because of it."

**_Why was Emmett willing to submit to Edward so readily when he found out that Rosalie didn't trust his control?_**

Carlisle frowned then sighed.

"Only Emmett can answer that and even he may not be able to articulate exactly why he responded as he did but my own assessment is that it shook his confidence to find out his mate lacked faith in his abilities. He couldn't reasonably be expected to complete the mounting if he wasn't absolutely positive that he could control himself. My assumption is he never gave his control a thought until it was questioned by his mate."

**_With that said, did you have any real fear that Emmett would hurt Edward?_**

Carlisle leaned closer and spoke with conviction lacking in his earlier responses.

"Absolutely. It was the reason that Jasper and I tried not to leave them alone. Physically, Emmett has no equal. The only way to take him down is to outsmart him. I tried to prepare Edward as best I could by showing him my own mountings of Emmett over the years. Edward assumes I did it because I wanted him to mount Emmett which I suppose is true but not for the reason he thinks. If there is any credence at all to the natural establishment of rank within a coven then the most capable always come out on top fulfilling roles as dictated by the needs of the coven. If those needs change then it's likely the roles will change as well."

_**Is there sexual pleasure in the act of dominating or being dominated?**_

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up and he snorted before smiling.

"Some derive more pleasure from it than others, but of course, there is some feelings of desire during the actual act. If there wasn't, it would be difficult though not impossible to achieve an erection and ultimately to ejaculate which is the glue that seals the submission, quite literally. Most of Jasper's experiences provide us with the best example of that. His encounters were only as pleasurable as the physical sensation of the orgasm without an emotional connection to the individual beneath him. He performed the act as one of his duties in a rather methodical manner. It was only with Edward that he allowed himself to not only take pleasure but give it and by giving it he was expressing that it was more than just an instinctual act."

_**As the dominant male, how was the experiences for you?**_

For the first time Carlisle looked uncomfortable.

"I would say that I derived a certain amount of satisfaction and yes pleasure from mounting all the males in the coven, particularly to exercise influence as the coven leader. Sexual pleasure, yes I suppose the physical act generating the release of venom was pleasurable but I get far greater satisfaction knowing that with every mounting I am making my coven stronger and safer and that gives more pleasure than any sexual release every could."

And with a polite nod Carlisle departed from the interview in all his glorious splendor. ;o)

**_I have at least one more idea for a story in this genre…can we say Volturi…_**

**_Comments would be wonderful._**

Be sure to check out my interview with Carlisle Cullen in the Author Notes. It might answer some of the questions that this chapter will be sure to generate.


End file.
